I would have loved to have seen two of the best females get back on the track and square up for $5 million. It would have had the feeling of Seabiscuit and War Admiral. But, I guess we’ll just have to wonder what would have been.

It was confirmed that Rachel Alexandra would not run in the Apple Blossom. The race was bumped up to a swelled $5 million purse, if both showed up to run. But, it looks like it will be back to the original $500,000.

Steve Asmussen was taking this really heavy. I spoke to a friend of mine who was on-track doing newspaper notes work.  He thought it was going to be the best racing weekend of his life. But when they were turning for home, he knew things were about to get tense.

Mr. Asmussen said he would never have sent out a runner who was not ready. When Calvin Borel was interviewed during the day, you would have thought the day was going to be all downhill running for the gal. It looked too easy… There was plenty of time off, and who knows? Maybe she did need one….

The good part was that she came back in good order. I think they will drop back and re-think her course in racing. It is so hard to keep a finely tuned blade to that level of sharpness. Even Zenyatta didn’t have the cleanest of trips, but she looked so good, it was hard to believe that she missed a day.

Racing sure could have used this race. The fans were coming back, and the gals were being mentioned with the all-time greats. Oaklawn Park and surrounding areas were worried about accommodating the crowds. But that is all gone. The race will still be great, but it won’t have that needed boost of star power. The game sure could have used a boost. It would have been nice to have witnessed this event. It would have been great to bring new faces to our sport. It would have been many things, but not anymore. I guess racing will just have to wait…

Every team has one, and there is only one on a ship. All sports teams have them, and any organization that looks to a leader needs one. I knew one. He was one of the last of his kind, and I don’t think they make them like him anymore.

“They don’t teach it in night school, and you can’t catch up late.” That would have been a line from one of the smoothest characters that I have ever met at the track. You have heard my tales of colorful people. But this guy was smooth. He dressed to the nines, and walked like he owned the track. He sat at the table of the biggest player at the track, and was his personal advisor on when, who, and what to bet. He kept the wheels moving. This was how he made his living. He was the guy you saw to get things done. But, he only did it for the biggies at the track. When he left, he did it for everyone. He was an enigma. He is known as “Spivey.”

Do you remember how “The Rat Pack” had their own lingo? Well, so did the Spive…. He could talk you into spotting him a hundo and in about a half an hour, he would bring you back two, or he would tell you that it’s the breaks of the game kid.  He was smooth personified. He could get millionaires to make a huge pick-six, and then they would want to give him an equal share. That was Spive… He made things happen.

Every once in a while, you would see that wry little grin. You saw a rare glimpse of the man. When he was at the track, he was at the office. It was business time, and there was no time for lunch. Only coffee, and he would bring the guys back a round of java….

I was bitching up a storm one day, and he looked at me and said: “save your breath kid, you’ll live ten years longer.” He was right… It was time to shut up…. When the crew of whales would lose a lump of cash, Spive felt the blow harder than any of them…. It was like a firm having a downward turn on the market. Nothing personal, this was his business, and he was good……

I sometimes called him “The Captain.” He probably hated it, but he would have never bitched. He never let you see him sweat. He had business to tend. Spive was the last of his kind. He enjoyed what he did, and cared about all. He could get the private room cheering about one horse, and when he would win…. Well, Spive had the floor……

I once saw him in the plush private room where guests were invited. The biggest players only, and Spive had all-access to everywhere. It went without saying… One day, he talked about this horse who was 10-1 at California. He had a friend who was a big time trainer, and Spive brought the message to the boys… The room was electric as he turned for home five in front, and he never looked back… It was at that time, Spive hit the door as he grabbed his coat and said, “that’s what I do boys.”  It was the perfect exit, as he put on his leather coat and grabbed the DRF for the next day. This day had come to an end, and tomorrow was a new day…. I have never met a man like Spive, and I doubt I ever will. There was only one, and they broke the mold after he made the scene.

I was sitting in the same spot on the couch, ALL DAY. With all of the races, and a nasty little cold to boot, there was no better place to be. Here are a few observations. Respond if you wish, because they are not law or scientific facts.

The Tampa Bay Derby showed me a gutty throw down. Can you believe that Odysseus won? I can’t either, and I bet him… He was so tough, after throwing in the towel and finding more down the lane. I either have him in my Derby runners, or he will be relegated to G-3 action at best. Either way, I thought it would be his day, and you can bet that Super Saver will be in the gate at Churchill….

The Rebel gave me chills. Gomez was not only stopped, but he almost came out of the saddle at the half, after being cut off.  Looking At Lucky is the real deal. Gomez gave us all a show, and that is the reason he is the money man. He was beaten, and dug in like a wild man. He looked possessed, and put on a show. Note to all riders: If you wonder what it looks like to be whipped and find the best in your horse, watch this race 100 times…. Lucky is as tough as a nickel steak.

San Felipe

All that I have to say is congrats to Sydney’s Candy, and man did that finish line show up in time. Interactif is coming along at the right time. My feelings have deepened, and I can’t wait to play him back, as they get better with time. Also, the Mr. Atkinson experiment is over. Caracortado is good. It is time to put on a big time rider, who will get his best. Atkinson has done well, but he cost them the race by floating a little wide and getting lost down the lane.

Rachel Alexandra will come back, if all is well. I think she got more out of the race at Fair Grounds. R.A is a big gal. She will come back and deliver a beating at Oaklawn.  Asmussen knows she needed one, and today was a good barometer. Zenyatta was just the best. Plain and simple, she outclassed the field. I told many folks that I thought Zenyatta might need one, and R.A. would roll. I was just a little backwards. Zenyatta is a beautiful animal, and I hope they install a synthetic surface before the race. Right at this time, they are starting to talk about the big race not happening. I sure hope Mr. Cella gets them there. He has worked so hard, and this is the stage. Asmussen is beating himself up pretty good, and it is not his fault. Borel didn’t give an interview. I am starting to have doubts in a big way. R.A did not know what to make of the spaceship that flew into her fly-zone, and her reaction led me to wonder. But, I still think after many thoughts and talks, the show will go on…..

By the way, I was watching two racing television shows. I switched back between the two. Here comes the winner: HRTV was great. TVG was a little lacking. When the great Rachel was running, they were announcing their own call in studio. I know they like to keep it fun, but not on the big weekend race. John G. Dooley does just fine. They made a poor showing, and HRTV was informative and didn’t get caught up in a looking good contest. TVG is for the beautiful people, and HRTV is for fans of the sport. I guess it all depends on what you want to watch….

We have heard the old saying. I guess it holds true, and for everyone that has worked in a field where they love the what they do, it is true….

For me, I started pitching pennies in the boys’ room. It wasn’t about the big gamble, but for the action… It came, and it never left….

When I started in high school, I used to save my lunch money and walk home during lunch and eat whatever was there. I wanted to keep that $2 a day my dad would give me, and I would have $10 on Saturday to go out and play the feature race. He had a few rules: make good grades, don’t get in trouble with the law, and don’t ever get involved with drugs. Well, they were easy. For this slam dunk, I would get a $20 a week allowance to go play the races. I had a beat-up car, and the option to go see the races. Life was good…..

All of my first dates went to the races. Well, if not all, make that 90%. If they would win a couple of bucks, you could bet I was 6-5 at a second date. If they lost, I was a big loser long-shot… I guess this was test to see if the gal really liked me…. Hell, I just wanted to go….

I began my work in the parking lot. I was a young lad, and I started with many fellas. Three are doctors, one judge, and one coaches a MAJOR D-1 basketball program. You call them the Bearcats… I stayed as others came and went, and worked my way up during college. I graduated with a degree in education, but my masters came in the way of loving racing.

I have held practically every job at the track. I have never sold mutuel tickets, and that is probably a good thing. I would have been broke… I feel this has given me a full perspective on the business. Some are born with mom and dad holding the big job and they sneak in the back door. I went the long way, and I am better off for putting my time in the old fashioned way. I know marketing, admissions, customer service, parking cars, printing, and how to do radio and TV. I have to say that I am lucky. I just hope my luck holds out. I have met every possible person in the game that has a title. Sometimes, I parked their car, and years later, sat in meetings exchanging ideas.

What does the next year hold? We used to talk about the future, but now we just talk about the next year. Some tracks go week to week… We used to be “Kings of the Hill” and won as we were the only game in town. But, it will take mucho work and trying new things that have never been tossed around. I think we will make it. Many of us will lose our jobs before we land on our feet. But just hang in there if you love the sport. It is the sport of kings, and it will make a comeback.

Take it from the guy who parked your car and got to know you better each and every time you came in. I know a bit about the game. It will live. It is only getting a standing eight count right now…..

No, the big race is already on. Just take a look at which station will cover the action. I am talking about the reality based “Undercover Boss.”

I love this show. Forget about islands that don’t exist, where a bunch of guys like me sweat it out and live on monkey island with a trainer, chef, and doctor. Hell, if I had all of that, I may drop a few lbs… But this show is brilliant….

Not because we are going to focus on racing, but because we all love to see the boss sweating it out. getting an earful. It is like “Boxing Day” on screen. Go ahead, and just look it up on the calendar for a full explanation, if you have not heard of that last one.

Bill Carstanjen from Churchill Downs Inc. is getting the inside look at racing. He holds down the chief operating office in this mega business, and for a spell, he will get a taste of what many face daily. I think it not only gives perspective, it gives you ideas when you make it back to the desk in your suit.

He worked for 10 days at Calder and Arlington Park. He mucked stalls, worked for a trainer, wrote press releases, and saddled horses in the paddock. A far cry from the two-hour lunch world, and a little messier.  The show has given the boss and the rest of the world an inner look at what they will really know.

My optimism gives me thoughts that they will go back and think about the industry a little differently. I can only hope that insight rules out, and they grow from this experience. The other side of the coin will be that they won’t get the real taste. What about when they get canned by one trainer, and ship out with another? What about when they put in 10 years and are followed by a pink slip in their mailbox? Will they do a better job so that these many will not know this fate? Will they pull back the curtain and share the knowledge with all racing execs about what is really happening?  We can only hope so, and so do many fans. The game can go on.  It all depends on how far we are willing to change. But, this is a great start to show the truth.

That was the call of my booming voice when I was an owner. Funny thing, never once did I take into consideration that all of the other owners in the race felt like they had the right horse at the right time….

Owners need to be kept tied up in a closet somewhere. Now, this doesn’t apply to the mega-buck guys who just don’t need the money, and say cool things like, “maybe we got what we needed from that race.”  Hell, every time my horse ran, I found a reason or many to find the answers to how he would score. I don’t think I am alone. I am just one of the few that admits this little secret.

It is not like we are misleading the public. We really believe the horse can run well, and it will happen today. When you see your silks on the track, it is like having your own professional team take the floor or field. Who doesn’t think they will win?

Inside scoop is just that… Scoop… Much about nothing…. Every trainer knows their horse hopefully, and they didn’t come over in their Stetson to get dusted. They believe, and the word spreads like a good thing. You are 20-1, and when you look at the board and you go to 8-1, you start believing that this is all true. How could everybody be wrong?

Funny thing when you convince yourself, it is like that mirage in the sands at high noon. It starts looking like found money, and the odds board is the joker that makes you dump more cash than you had planned. But, you look again, and now you are 5-1…. See, how could you be wrong? Never once did you think you were watching your own money.

I consider myself a decent handicapper. This is all except when I owned horses. I could throw out logic, and now I carry rabbits’ feet, mojo bags, and a four leaf clover.

So, I have put myself in check. I do not own anymore, and I stick to betting others. This way, I can eliminate the crazy owners and backstretch info. I stick to hardcore facts and trip handicapping. This seems a little less chancy, and I am saving my family and friends plenty of money.

Nature’s green is gold….. But, the sheets that were prepared by the gent who walked among the common player to the upper-deck couple, was pure gold, and it is gone. That is, until now.

I never use a name to protect the innocent, and keep others from getting pissed.  This has probably saved me from at least five or six black eyes.

Long ago, a man wh0 loved racing so much would create a Derby compilation that would rival anything overcharged by the so-called professionals. They would cover every horse that was heading for the Derby, and it would cover everything from the elusive Chinese math Dosage Index figures to the cross breeding. It covered a personal history of each, and what their parents did on the oval. After reading this, you would have more than plenty info on so many trying to squeeze into the Derby gate.

He would give an intro of how he started in the game, and what he did over the years. He was a professional as far as how he made a living, but he made his life being a loving father and an avid fan of the game. It showed through in every word of his yearly publication. It began with a modest ten to twenty readers. Once you were on the list, you had to send in writing that you didn’t want to take the ride down Derby lane.  It would have been hard for anyone to have ever picked up pen and wrote on paper.

His record wasn’t bad, and the funny thing is that all walks of life would have a copy. The guy who cuts your grass, to the man at the bank. They would come in all shapes and sizes. That was the best thing. It was just about the time when you would be telling a friend about a great tool you received in the mail, and they would interrupt you and tell you they were on the list. It was kinda like that movie “Fight Club.” It was a secret, but everyone knew….

Time passed, and the kind gent went on to pass out his publication to the fans that lived in heaven. The sheets went silent, and the music was gone. It was a number of years, and his son, who is a crack-smart banker, stepped up and carried on his father’s legacy. He added names, and kept the same secret sauce.  The love could be felt through every word that he typed into his father’s sheets. The data, the info, and the love shown through in every page. It was good times again.

I would consider myself to be lucky to receive the sheets. If I were to tell you how much I looked forward to those green paper sheets, and the joy that I took from thinking about my own dad, I guess I could tell you all about them, and it would be then that you would just smile and look at me and tell me you are on the list……

When people become complacent with some of the wagers that are put before us, we have started down a bad road. The new wagers can entice the new, and allow the big players to find an edge. As always, I like to scratch my head and come out with a few plays. But, this is all not my doing. I listen to many folks who attend daily. When we stop listening, we stop learning about our most important asset: the players…..

Here is one that has a sports feel – However many races you have, you have an OVER / UNDER wager. This is where you add up the number of the winner of each race and accumulate them for the end of the card. Have your handicapper take his best shot, and if you don’t think this has a sports feel, you have lived under a rock. It is easy; no capping each race, and fun to be had. The newbies can just pick a side, and the sharpies can load on their side. You can make it all parimutuel, and for example, have OVER- 35  / UNDER -35  / and a tie. The wagers could have odds tied to them, based on how the public wagers.

Show me the Money – Just as popular as the “place pick all.” But, this allows you to wager on a runner or runners per race to finish in the money. If they do not, there is NO consolation…. It carries over to the next day.  All bets must be placed before the first race. I bet you will see this grow better than you thought….

Q-3 – here is a wager where you must select three consecutive quinellas. After each race, you must return to the window to exchange your ticket to get your next wager. This keep players around, and the excitement could grow. If nobody hits this wager, then it carries to the next wagering day…

Triple Double – This is where you can wager on the opening DD, and if you hit, then your ticket is alive for the next rolling DD. You get two in a row, and then the fun carries into the third and final DD. Hit all three, and you get the gold. If nobody hits it, then it rolls over again.

OK, if they don’t fit, and you want to play the prude, then by all means do-so. It wasn’t long ago that Keeneland had eight races, and one double.  The Pick-6 was a California dream, and the Super High-5 came from the Caribbean. It is all about fun and keeping the interest of the people. I like having a choice, and playing if I want….

Being a race tracker is a badge. It is one that is earned and not given. It means you have taken your share of hits, both good and bad, and still climb up from the ropes to get back in the game. This is a game that cannot be taught in night school, and one you cannot learn in a quick lesson.

All gamblers love to win. It is the action that they crave. I have seen some that pout worse than a baby.  Others enjoy putting it all on the line.  For the many that have lost it all, they seem at peace. They seem like they are back where they belong: broke, and complaining.

Here are few types of folks that walk around every track or OTB in the land:

The Screamer – they yell at the screen as if the rider is hearing their voice like the hearken of God. They will never change, and you can see them beating their ass with a program rolled up tight in their fist. In the old days, we used to call them “stoopers,” where they would scour the floor looking for winning tickets. This was their game, but as they grew older, they became satisfied just yelling at the screen. Have you ever seen any of these creatures?

The Pouter – No matter what they do, they complain. If they win, it could have been for more. But, to a sorry degree, they lose more than they win. When they walk into the room, they suck out the energy just by being there. There is a character like this in every gambling movie.

The Optimist -  They could heal people just by sitting at your table. No matter how bad they lose, they always find a kind word to say about getting them the next day. Or, they cheer for you, harder than you did, the day you had the big win. They are rare. They truly are a gem….

The Professional – The reason you don’t know much about this type, is because they lay low and you probably don’t know one.  They are loners. They could have been a doctor or lawyer, but they are content with any job, as long as they can go to work playing the races. They can tell you what they make on every dollar, and they walk in the shadows. Not because they are hiding, but because they do not want to be there for the fun or the party. They don’t care if they have to pay to get in. It is the win they seek, and for the small percentage. They achieve their goals.

I used to work with a great handicapper. We used to put up $20 each day and pick the Keeneland card. We would score winners only. In the two years that we played these four meets, he only beat me once. The reason was simple. For the talent he had was overshadowed by his lack of confidence. It never fails, and I would take his $20 like a trophy fish. He once asked why I had it locked up every day, and didn’t I think it was weird that I always won. My answer was simple. I like betting on myself. I liked believing in what I was doing. To me, it was never about the win or lose. It was always about believing in myself… Now, I don’t know if any of that makes any sense. But just ask my friend. To this day, he still is a great handicapper who doesn’t think he can win….

Ten Florida Derby winners during the past 54 years have won the Kentucky Derby. The first was Nashua in 1955 and the last was Big Brown in ‘08.

But nary a 3-year-old who triumphed in Gulfstream Park’s premier stakes race, scheduled for March 20, captured the Triple Crown. In ‘56, Needles came the closest. The Florida Derby winner, named for being inoculated often as a sickly foal, defeated Fabius by three-quarters of a length in the Kentucky Derby – the first victorious Florida bred.

But Fabius, eighth in the Florida Derby, upset Needles in the Preakness by three-quarters of a length. Needles took the Belmont Stakes while Fabius finished third.

The previous year, Swaps cost Nashua the Triple Crown by winning the Kentucky Derby by 1 1/2 lengths. In ‘58, Tim Tam missed out, finishing second in the Belmont to Cavan, with a broken bone in the joint between the knee and the hoof. In ‘68, Forward Pass lost by 1 1/4 lengths to State Door Johnny in the Belmont.

I witnessed my first Florida Derby in ‘57 a year after graduating the University of Miami. Gen. Duke defeated Bold Ruler by 1 1/2 lengths and set the stakes record of 1:46 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles, which was recognized until several years ago, when the main track was expanded.

However, Quality Road’s winning performance in last year’s edition was a full second off Gen. Duke’s time. Even Quality Road’s track record victory in this year’s Donn Handicap was three-fifths of a second off the Calumet Farms’ horse 53 years ago.

On the eve of the 83rd Kentucky Derby, the son of Bull Lea came up lame and was scratched. Gallant Man was on his way to victory at Churchill Downs when Bill Shoemaker misjudged the finish line and Iron Liege won by a nose.

Bold Ruler took the Preakness and Gallant Man captured the Belmont. Gen. Duke later developed the spinal affliction known as wobbles and died.

The most exciting Florida Derby I witnessed came in ‘95, when favored Suave Prospect clashed with Thunder Gulch. It was a rematch following Thunder Gulch’s neck victory in the Fountain of Youth. The winner paid a generous $11.40.

In the Florida Derby, Suave Prospect was part of a three-horse entry, favored over Thunder Gulch on my birthday, March 11. Jerry Bailey, back aboard Suave Prospect, was hotter than the summer South Florida heat, scoring repeatedly. Mike Smith returned on Thunder Gulch.

Both horses stalked pacesetters to the far turn. Then Bailey gunned Suave Prospect from fourth to take the lead in the upper stretch by 1 1/2 lengths. But under Smith’s strong handling, Thunder Gulch wore down Suave Prospect, prevailed by a nose and paid $6.

After finishing a disappointing fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes, Thunder Gulch went off at 25-1 and, with Gary Stevens aboard, edged Tejano Run, ridden by Bailey, in the 121st Kentucky Derby. Suave Prospect, guided by Julie Krone, ran 11th while Smith’s mount, Talkin Man, finished 12th.

Eskendereya and Jackson Bend, the 1-2 finishers in this year’s Fountain of Youth, are on track for a rematch in the 59th Florida Derby. How exciting it will be is in the hands of the racing gods.