Friday, December 4, 2009

Shoeing for shin-hitters

I got a call recently from a concerned Hoof Beats reader. He said he had a 3-year-old trotter who breaks only in the turns, hitting above his shin. To find an answer, I sent an e-mail to Steve Stanley, author of Shoeing News, the Hoof Beats monthly shoeing column. Here is an excerpt of what Steve wrote:

"I would try to use a longer shoe on the hind feet. Possibly even double trailers. This is a starting point.

I would also take a hard look at the horses hoof angles to see if there is a reason to change them. That requires one to look at the horse because a proper hoof angle can vary from horse to horse and in some cases even from right to left leg on the same horse.

Hitting high on the shin is a tricky one so I definitely would like to see the horse before giving potentially damaging advice. I also think it best to try the changes on only the front OR the rear shoes/hooves at a time. Making wholesale changes to both ends at once(unless something obvious is there) can just create more problems.

The second thing to look at is how that horse is breaking over on the front feet. This could easily be the primary cause but trying the double trailer ind shoe is less risky to the horses overall gait and performance."


Hope this helps! Like Steve said above, it's tough to give shoeing advice without seeing the individual horse, but there are certain fixes that could work in most cases. Just remember, try ONE thing at a time, or you won't know what worked and what didn't!


TJB

Monday, November 23, 2009

Passailed to retire (again)

I got a call from Pat Chella, owner of Passailed. You may remember Passailed from a July horse profile in Hoof Beats. He's the Abercrombie horse who retired for six years to become a sire in Quebec, then came back to the track. Here's the story:

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=32772&z=43

Chella told me that Passailed had been racing competitively at Northfield Park. (In fact, I had seen him race live on Oct. 29 when I was there. He had the 8-hole and was 55-1, but I bet him anyway because I would have kicked myself if he had hit the board.) Thus far he's raced 26 times in 2009 with three wins and more than $13,000 in purses.

Passailed is going to retire from the track again, Cello said. This time he was purchased by Dr. Guy Hammond and will stand at Steuben Farms in Bath, N.Y, for $750. Passailed will have a send-off ceremony at Batavia Downs on Saturday, Nov. 28, and will go to Dr. Hammond's farm after that.

"I'm excited," Chella said. "I always thought he had some good stud potential. He's still got a lot of horses racing at Flamboro."

Passailed is an Abercrombie out of an Albatross mare, so here's hoping he brings to New York some more of the success that made that golden cross famous.

"Some of these grassroots guys on the fair circuit and in the late-closers need horses they can afford and Passailed fits that bill really nice," said Hammond. "He's a 13-year-old workhorse and that's what these guys on the fair circuit are looking for."

Have a happy Thanksgiving! TJB

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Happy Birthday Ken

I hope you will all join me in wishing Happy Birthday to Ken Weingartner, my wonderful co-worker at Harness Racing Communications.

Ken is one of those people you feel lucky to know—who makes your day brighter. Our relationship is made even better by the fact that as much as we both love harness racing is as much as we also love the Philadelphia Phillies, and every year we make it a point to hit Citizens Bank Park for a Phillies game.

Ken is a terrific writer and more prolific than most of us can imagine. Be it Web stories, his weekly Web column, Hoof Beats stories, his great “Foal Patrol” series, we can always count on him to give us quality and quantitiy. Look for yet another Weingartner feature in the January issue of Hoof Beats on Lucky Jim. I know he will do a great job, as usual!

 

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Treasured forever

Sad news today from New York. The star of the October 2009 issue, Treasure Blue Chip, was euthanized at the age of 34. She was featured in a beautiful story written by Ellen Harvey with gorgeous photos taken by equine photographer Barbara Livingston.

You can see the story here: http://www.hoofbeatsmagazine.com/pdf/oct09/Treasuring_Treasure_Oct09.pdf

To live to 34 is amazing, and I am so happy that we had a chance to tell her story before she passed on. It was truly a race against time, as we were nervous that she might not make it until the story was published.

The full blow of horse mortality hit me today as I was editing "Greener Pastures," Hoof Beats' annual tribute to those horses who have left us. This year we lost such standouts as Amour Angus, Ralph Hanover, Beach Towel, Baltic Speed, Steinam and Conch. Many of these horses are to be memorialized in the words of those who knew them best in the December issue. I found the most touching to be from Marcia Hamilton on Baltic Speed, who she groomed during his fantastic racing career. Stay tuned for that.

Perhaps the most surprising loss was that of Snow White, the filly trotting phenom who was almost ready to make a glorious comeback from a host of injuries when she was euthanized after a fatal colic attack. Nicole interviewed Curtis Larrimore for the December issue, and it amazed me how close he seemed to be to her.

After reading these stories, it's hard to consider harness racing a "sport" with the horses merely commodities. Even though technological advances such as Trackus have reduced living, breathing animals to dots on a screen, it's refreshing, albeit bittersweet, to read the memories of those who lost the horses with which they were so close every day.

TJB

Monday, October 26, 2009

What About Those Crowns?

I couldn’t wait to come in this morning and talk to everyone about the Breeders Crowns—some great races, some big upsets, some disappointments. It was great to see Muscle Hill go out like that, especially since the BC has proved a stumbling block for so many other trotting champions. What a great year he had—it is sad to see him go. Well Said, on the other hand, had his share of challenges this year, and I was so disappointed to see him struggle in the Crown. His Jug performance left me breathless, and I wish we could have seen the same horse come out Saturday, but it was not to be.

Reports from the USTA staffers “on the ground” said Crown night was cold and blustery, and it seems the greatest shame comes from having the weather be perhaps a contributing factor in determining year-end championships. When the races are at the Meadowlands, the lateness of the season has been a factor; in Canada it’s the impact of the Great White North’s climate. Wonder how that will change when the races head to Pocono next year?

What do you think? E-mail me at nkraft@ustrotting.com so we can talk.

BTW, have you seen Adam Bowden’s blog where he is soliciting suggestions for whom to next breed Loyal Opposition? —some unique ideas are coming out.

http://innerworkingsofabreedingfarm.blogspot.com/

Have a great day,

Nicole

 

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Mystery Photo SOLVED


On the Hoof Beats Web site, we asked you to identify the horse, people and date in the above photo. Thank you to all who responded. Here are some of the guesses:

Driver: Del Insko (3 votes), Bucky Day

Track: Washington Park (IL), Rockingham Park, Yonkers Raceway

Horse: Overtrick

I spoke with the reader who submitted this photo, Alice Szpila-Tisbert, and she said it's Splendid Splinter, with actress Sally Field in the bike, at Rockingham Park. The driver is "Butch" Tisbert, and the groom holding the horse is Bruce Aldrich. The date is still unknown. Thanks for playing!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Muscle Hill wins!

I don’t know how a horse could make it look easier. Muscle Hill took the lead right off the gate, floated clear by four lengths past the quarter, and trotted home six lengths in front to win the Kentucky Futurity. It was a view of greatness, for sure.

Greg Peck looked visibly relieved after seeming a bit tense earlier in the day. And Tom Pontone once again hugged and kissed all he could find, so happy was he.

Brian Sears said he was going to talk to Greg and the owners about racing Muscle Hill next week if the weather is good, because he truly believes the colt can break the 1:50 mark, and I don’t think anyone doubts him. If only the weather had been a bit more cooperative—the wind simply made it too much of a challenge. And that’s not to mean that Muscle Hill still couldn’t have done it—I am certain he could. But Brian was understandably not taking any chances. And who can blame him.

George Brennan just drove the last winner on the day—Shark Gesture in 1:49.2. What a great day of racing.

Breathtaking

There was about $18,500 bet in the win pool for the second elim of the first Futurity heat—and $18,200 was bet on Muscle Hill. And Muscle Hill did n not disappoint, winning easily, with virtually no encouragement from Brian Sears. He “only” trotted in 1:52.3, but his easy was simply breathtaking.

The crowd was on his feet as Muscle Hill made his way back to the detention barn, applauding heartily, and Greg Peck waving to the crowd just got them more excited.

The wind is starting to pick up again, and it will be at the drivers’ backs in the stretch if it stays in this direction. When he interviewed Brian Sears after the race, announcer Sam McKee said he expected he would be talking to Brian again in about an hour, indicating he’d do so when Muscle Hill wins the final. Now that is confidence!

Mr Muscleman just paraded in a retirement tribute. Adam Victor Jr. just said that they are still trying to get him into the Kentucky Horse Park. Right now Western Dreamer and Staying Together are the Standardbred representative.

Muscle Hill draws the rail in the Futurity final, and Russell Hill and Airzoom Lindy both scratch out. Ron Pierce picked Explosive Matter over Big Bikkies, who will be driven by Jim Morrill Jr.

 

25.4!

Rock N Roll Heaven just came his last quarter in 25.4 to with a Bluegrass division. Granted it was “wind aided,” but still—that’s amazing. And this colt has already finished second in two sub 1:50 miles. As trainer Bruce Saunders said, “You have to pinch yourself to remember these are 2-year-olds.”

It’s great to see Bruce Saunders with a top colt. I worked with him in the 1989 when he trained my horse Best Of Dani, and just loved his sense of humor and professionalism.

Of course Bruce was in the harness new last year for a whole other connection—he is formerly the brother-in-law of Joe Biden, our nation’s vice president, having once been married to Biden’s sister, Valerie.

Bruce, who also trained Misfit and Casimir Camotion, says Rock N Roll Heaven is done for the year since he is not Breeders Crown eligible.

Looking for Nails

We just went out to present the trophy for the “Hoof Beats Pace,” race 3 at The Red Mile, won by Big Bad Bosley and George Brennan. We were joined walking across the track to the winner’s circle by trackman Dan Coons, who goes out to look at hoof prints in the dirt to see how horse are getting over the track.

“Look for the nails,” he said. “The hoof prints look good if you can see the nails.”

We saw plenty of nails in the cascade of prints along the fiery red dirt, and Dan said the track was in great shape.

“With weather like this,” he said, “any track can be in great shape.”

Harness Horse Youth Foundation is being saluted today and drivers are giving a percentage of their earnings to the HHYF. One of the best elements of that feature is that HHYF ponies lead the post parade, with Chris Ryder and a young member of the Harness Racing Youth League. So far we have seen the next generation of Kimelmans (Blue Chip Farms), Svensson (blacksmith Conny) and Antonacci (the legendary Lindy Farms family). The future looks good!

Anyone seeking to join the driver and support the HHYF efforts can visit www.hhyf.org.

Nicole

Futurity Morning

We had a great fashion show at Lexington this morning with Greg Peck and Ron Gurfein. Greg was receiving numerous compliments on his black Red Mile jacket, personalized with Muscle Hill’s name, given to him by the track. Smoking a cigar in Gurfein’s shedrow at 11 a.m., he looked far from relaxed, but I imagine he won’t be able to feel calmer until after Muscle Hill proves himself today.

Gurfein got in on the fashion act, as well, as the Hall of Fame trainer broke out a reversible polo jacket—black and white quilt. It was quite stunning—but Ronnie has always been one of racing’s snazziest dressers.

It is a beautiful day in Lexington today, with a blue, cloudless sky and an autumn breeze lifting the flags toward the finish line. Many are buzzing with talk of Muscle Hill, but next week’s sale is also a big topic. We heard that yearling viewing has been brisk, and the Ohio Select Sale’s success is a good sign. I saw Bruce Brinkerhoff of the Lexington Select Sale Company and asked his thoughts. Though he was not sure the numbers would be as strong as last year, he believes the sale will still have good strength based on the quality of yearlings and the great purses now available.

And although the Thoroughbreds had real challenges at their sale last week, the fact that we don’t rely on multi-million dollar purchases to drive our numbers will certainly bode better for the Standardbreds.

Walking through the Lexington backstretch is always magical, but there was also a slap of reality when we walked past the banner for Troy Sylvester hanging above the Sylvester shedrow: “Gone but not forgotten.” So true.

Nicole

Friday, October 2, 2009

Red Mile visits

What an amazing experience it is walk around The Red Mile and see so many great racing personalities. We spent a blustery morning on the backstretch today, after a rain-soaked drive from Columbus.

Our first stop was to Steve Elliott’s barn, where the Jug blanket of roses is in full display and the Jug blanket hangs with great pride. Well Said was having a hind shoe tacked on when we got there, and looking at him you would be hard pressed to find any flaw on his absolutely beautiful and sculpted body. He looks as fit and glossy as a horse could be—no doubt in big part to the care he receives from Steve’s assistant trainer, Toni Rose. Toni is an amazing person and an even more amazing horsewoman, and how much she loves Well Said is clear in her every moment with the colt. Getting to stroke his satiny neck and look up close into the eye of  such a champion was a thrill of the morning.

But it wasn’t the only thrill. We next stopped by Greg Peck’s barn where we watched Muscle Hill getting a bath after his jog session. He looks terrific—alert, in great form, ears up and happy. Greg Peck looked a little tired, and he admitted he was ready for his wife, Nancy, to arrive tomorrow. Great horses, a wonderful wife, successful and charming kids (son Sean has a 4.0 GPA in high school and Brendan has become a media star)—what doesn’t this guy have?!

Muscle Hill’s groom, Sylvia, is home with a cold or flu, and we certainly hope for her a speedy recovery. We know she does not want to miss tomorrow’s festivities.

Mark Hall and I spent a few minutes with Holiday Road, the Peter Haughton winner, who Greg Peck said is done for the year. The powerful son of Yankee Glide (who has a positively towering head) was staring out the window when we first passed his stall, but he soon came over to say hello, shake his head and even take a nip or two at us.

The day has turned quite lovely, with big puffy clouds amid blue sky, and a fast track to compliment the top filly trotters battling for the Filly Futurity crown. Ah, Lexington. There is nothing like it.

Nicole

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Going to Lexington

Friday the Hoof Beats crew heads to Lexington to cover the Grand Circuit racing, most notably the Kentucky Filly Futurity on Friday and the Kentucky Futurity on Saturday. We'll have video recaps of both days' features and a photo feature in the November issue of Hoof Beats. Also, stay tuned for blog posts from the front.

I'm looking forward to this year's trip because it feels like it has been so long since I've been there. Last year I came down for the first week, but my brother (who is not involved in harness racing) decided to have his wedding on Futurity Day. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I called to get the results and found out that there had been such an exciting third-heat raceoff, but it was a beautiful wedding nonetheless.

This year I'll make it a point to be there trackside for this year's trotting classic. I'm just hoping that the weather is warm (and dry) enough for Muscle Hill to really show how fast he can trot. I was there when Giant Diablo trotted in 1:50.1, when Snow White trotted in 1:52.4 and when Somebeachsomewhere paced in 1:46.4, so if there is any place to stop a clock, it's Lexington!

Good racing, and hope to see you there! TJB

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

HB Story Idea

George Rood asked: Why doesn't Hoof Beats do an article on the most dominant ownership operation in racing--Bulletproof Enterprises. They are like a big mystery that no one dares talk about. They are involved in every major race, but no one knows who they are--just some group hidden away in Florida. How about telling the fans who these guys are and what drives this operation?

Answer: Thanks for the suggestion. We will certainly consider it.

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Following Fall

I seems like fall has jumped into central Ohio, and I am not sure we are ready. The rainy Jug was certainly an unwelcome distraction. I just spoke with Marilyn Jenne, a longtime Jug fan and visitor, and she lamented that the rain impacted her ability to suit in her box to watch great racing and to socialize—two great joys of the Delaware. It was, of course, still a great day of racing, and Well Said made sure the 2009 Jug was memorable. How about the Ron Pierce—he was as happy as I have ever seen him after a race. You’d think it was his first win, not his fourth. I was so glad to see him celebrating with the fans—it made the event even more special—and I  wish more drivers realized showing their emotion helps everyone get more involved with the race and the winner!

Kudos to the HB staff for getting the Jug in our October issues. Truth be told, our deadline to get to the printer was Wednesday, Sept. 23, but I simply could not face an October book without the Jug. So we worked late into Thursday night (the Delaware fairgrounds are really dark at 10:30 p.m.) and from sun up to sun down Friday to get our story and photos together. We hope you agree it was worth it!

We are looking forward to heading to Lexington at the end of the week, though preliminary reports say the rain will be following us down there. I hope we can get one last burst of summer, so Muscle Hill has every chance to show how fast he is. There are few places more glorious than Lexington on a fast fall Saturday!

Have a great day!

Nicole

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Campbell Speaks to Full House

John Campbell closed the USTA Speaker Series with a capacity crowd. He was asked about his induction into the Canadian Sports Hall. “Everything I am is from my parents. My dad taught two people the horse business—me and my brother Jim. Jim was leading trainer and I was leading driver. Pretty good sire percentage.” He admitted his mother was disappointed when he quit school but she was supportive. She thought he should always go where competition the highest. John “hit the lottery” when he met and fell in love with wife, Paula. His schedule takes him all over the place to race every summer for past 25 years. She never complains. “She was the quarterback of family life for all these years.”

When Niatross was in Jug in 1980, it was his first time to Delaware. Ed Lohmeyer, Shelly Goudreau and he were flying in from New Jersey and got messed up with flights. They chartered small plane from Cincinnati just to watch Niatross go. Very special. Next year all 3 of them were in Jug. Eddie and I fell down in first heat, and Shelly fell down in 2nd heat. Next Jug was Merger, and I owned and trained him. Just getting around the track was special. Certainly Life Sign, phenomenal performance. I was awestruck by his race and the crowd. Everyone knew they saw something special. One of most thrilling moments in my career.

Talked about Showherthemoney. Not surprised she won 2nd heat after way she won the 1st. Very unusual for a horse to lose that much ground and still win.

Are you in favor of heat racing: I am here. Gotten away from heat racing. Only couple places for it.. I was in favor of changing the Hambletonian. It’s a different venue. I am in favor of doing it the way they do it here now. That might change in the future if we aren’t drawing top horses. We didn’t last year but did this year. Have to make adjustments if it make a pattern that top horses don’t come. If don’t get top horses for fans to see and be close to, we will lose luster of the event. We have to go for more money here. In any business it all comes down to money. If you put up enough money they will race down Highway 23.

When he was asked how to be successful in business, he advocated working for someone who is successful and seeing how they do things.

To keep horses racing after age 3. He would like that, but recognizes challenge. Somebeachsomewhere and Dewyecheatumnhowe perfect examples. Both worth $8, million-$10 million. Big risk to come back at 4. If not successful, value can plummet in matter of three races. Can’t put enough purse money  up to make it worth coming back.

Problem with our industry is so fragmented. Can’t get jurisdictions to agree on rules. He is in favor of keeping lines in each hand.

First elim is lighter—missed top 2-year-old of year. Won’t be that easy when get out there. Chance to drive Keep It Real first in Mohawk overnight. I didn’t want to be tough on him. Got him in a bad spot. He had a lot of pace. Had to check him 2 or 3 times in stretch. Had a little problem with foot. He was sound and easy to drive. I expect him to do well. Not sure if that’s enough. He is a  gifted and talented horse. Hope he can build on that.

Longshot in 2nd elim—Born To Rockn Roll. A man’s got to know his limitations—same here. Can’t overdrive this horse., Have to find shortest way around. Hope something up front that’s suicidal. Hope he can pick up pieces. He is owned in Ohio. I know it s dream to have horse in the Jug for these people.

Well Said: class of this division. Post 8 is detriment. Not think he was strong in last win as he was earlier. Great gaited, fine looking. If he gets any break at all going into first turn, he is the one to beat.

Vintage Master gotten better as the year as gone on. I hope they get into an argument on the front.

Favorite horse is Argyle Chester. “Born on John’s 11th birthday, his grandmother owned him and gave him half. He became an invitational pacer. You can’t image the thrill going to see that horse with my grandmother.

Offset gate: Been discussed. I have mixed feelings. Go back to tradition. I like it the way it is. It helps a horse. Reason people get excited having the rail at Delaware.

Standardbred Retirement Foundation. Very proud of my wife and Judy Bokman for starting it 20 years ago. Sent out 200 horses—found homes. Have 130 on waiting list. We need to address this issue. They should be  funded better by industry. We have to take responsibility.

Favorite track and how many years drive: Meadowlands, hard to argue that. Had a bit of luck there. Love [Delaware] and The Red Mile. I evaluate driving every year. As long as I am getting opportunity to drive a lot of the stakes and I am healthy, I will continue. Schedule not the same in winter. Only drive Friday and Saturday in January, February and March. Keep you sharp.

Murray Brown appointed him commissioner of harness racing. Asked what he would fix. John said he would streamline licensing for owners and make universal rules, for which he received resounding applause. Long laundry list have to address. Have to get people back to tracks, but what would we do with them? Have to address how fans are treated, educated to racing, how information fed to them, food and services. We have driven millions out of Meadowlands with food and service. We want to get them there, but we have figure out first what we will do once we get them there.

Will not retire back to Canada. Daughters and grandchildren in New Jersey and likely Florida in winter.

What’s future of Meadowlands: We will have horses when we open. Comes back to money. We don’t have purse money and that’s why field are short. Even with all its problems, only place can still handle big bettors with large pools. Everyone hoping we get slots in New Jersey. If we don’t, I think New Jersey racing is in serious jeopardy.

 

Notes from USTA Speaker Series

Steve Elliott and Ron Pierce are at the USTA Speaker Series. Pierce as asked which horse are you most worried about: “I’m going to look over as we leave out and see what’s going on.” Track is in “super tip-top shape.” Pierce talked about how drivable Well Said is: “He’s a classy colt, a great attitude, does anything you want to do with him. He gives 110-percent. Who should be favorite. Pierce said Well Said.

Both are very confident in Well Said’s ability, despite bad draw.

Murray Brown of Hanover Shoe Farms remembered looking at Well Said as a yearling. Not surprised colt ended up so good. He remembered hearing from Steve in February of Donato Hanover’s 2-year-old year that he was the best trotter ever trained. Asked same of well said. Steve said he was always good, but he was stupid. He would shy and jump all over the place.

Steve got a round of applause for bringing “world class horse” to Delaware.

Importance of Triple Crown was asked of Steve. He said it has to be revamped. History is history and should be left like that. Have to change with the times. $1 million races not considered for Triple Crown and that’s wrong. Every era is different. People knock that Well Said race on half-mile track; used to be all races on a half. Times change.

Ron was asked how he maintains strength required to hold horses. I’ve been doing it for long, all the muscles are strong already. When first started driving, had to get fingers, legs, back and arms stronger. Sit-ups, push-ups, squats when younger. As got older, body got in shape. The Trick is to get horses relaxed.

Ron asked if he talks to horses: We have our own language. Horses respond to your voice. Fillies treated differently than treat boys. Some of the boys you have to get fired up.

Steve talked about how important great help is and called his assistant trainer Toni Rose his right arm. She warmed Well Said up and he won, so Steve said she could keep doing it until he lost. Then Steve went back.

 

 

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Class Acts

What a great morning we had at the USTA Speaker Series, with Dr. Margaret Mudge from Ohio State, Dave Brower and David Miller, and Tim Tetrick and Jimmy Takter all taking their turns in front of the microphone.

The crowds were overflowing—even with the early hour, and the respect and appreciation for our “celebrities” was evident from everyone in attendance.

Jimmy was actually not on our schedule, but he came by just to listen and there was no way we could not ask him to join us. And it was not just Jimmy who was sharing with his fans. His wife, Christina—who always looks so beautiful—was talking with fans also, especially one young girl who wished to be a groom. Christina patiently answered all her questions, shared secrets of her life in racing, and repeatedly silenced her ever-ringing phone to give undivided attention.

There is no way to truly express my appreciation to all the people who help out with the Speakers Series—from my USTA coworkers, to the wonderful horsemen and experts who share their time. They come early, sign as many autographs as they are asked, and give of themselves so freely for people who really treasure the experience.

Tomorrow, we are back again at 8 with a  full slate—handicapping the Jug program with Dave Brower, Dave Bianconi, Sam McKee and the speaker series debut of Roger Huston. They are followed at 9 by Ron Pierce and  Steve Elliott, and the great John Campbell is with us at 10. I hope you will be, too!

Nicole

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Jug changes conditions!

Yesterday we spoke about Steve Elliott’s reaction to the Jug conditions that allowed for first-heat splits of 9 and 10 horses for a 19-horse field.

Shari Hazlett had this reply to our blog:

I was so glad to see you asking this question. As an avid harness racing fan I was appalled that they went with two eliminations. I cannot believe that they have two trailers in one division and one in the other with the outer horses (including Well Said) basically being in as bad a position as you would ever think of in your nightmare.

To begin with, there should NEVER be trailers in an elimination and ESPECIALLY on a half mile track. Last year everyone was critical that Somebeachsomewhere was not in the Jug. After seeing this performance, I can totally understand why the Beach wasn't there. What if this had happened and he got the eight hole or, even worse, a trailer position. If the Jug wants to keep its place as a prominent race for 3-year-olds, they had better think very strongly about how they decide how many elims there will be. I give credit to Well Said's connections for racing him. If I was the owner, he would suddenly be ill the day before the Jug and wouldn't be in it.

Harness racing wonders why they struggle for fans. This is a perfect example. Just by the "luck" of the draw, Well Said the best 3year-old, may lose this race. That is absurd.

 

Well, Shari, it looks like the Jug already heard you! A release came today that said the Little Brown Jug Society had approves changes in future draws effective in 2010. The statement requiring a split for a set number of entries has been eliminated, and race officials now will determine splits based on the number of entries.  Society directors admitted they were concerned at having to set nine and 10 horse divisions for the 2009 race and would have liked to have split the 19 entries into three divisions, but the current conditions did not permit that. 

 

It’s great to see the Jug taking swift action on an unfortunate situation. Here is wishing everyone the best in the 2009 Jug—and I hope to see you at the Delaware races and the Speaker Series!

 

Nicole

Monday, September 21, 2009

Elliott on Post 8

Had a great talk with Steve Elliott today, as he prepared to head out for the Delaware County Fair to train Well Said for what he hopes is a Little Brown Jug . Of course, he wishes that Well Said had drawn better than post 8 in his elimination—where he will face Vintage Master and Carnivore—but Steve wasn’t really upset about it. He is and always has been a que sera sera type of person—whatever will be, will be. You can’t control some things and have to live with what happens.

One thing Steve and a lot of other people were more concerned by was Delaware’s decision to go with two elims for its 19 Jug entrants—nine horses in one and 10 in the other. That means there are two trailers in the second, 10-horse elim.

Last year, with 20 in the field, there were 3 elims with 6, 7 and 7 horses, respectfully. The conditions (which are available at http://horsemen.ustrotting.com/stks_conditions.cfm) say specifically: When 20 or more horses declare to start in the Jug or Jugette, three elimination heats will be raced.

But there are people in racing who think the Jug should look to make changes to ensure everyone who is putting money into the Jug purse pool through entry fees has a fair and equal chance to make some back—and this 9-10 split is not accomplishing that goal. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Send me a note to nkraft@ustrotting.com, and I’ll run the comments here.

And you can ask Steve about this topic and more when he visits the USTA’s Speaker Series in the Jugette Barn at 9 a.m. Sept. 24—Jug morning. Be sure to come out for all our speakers—from 8-11 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday in the Jugette Barn.

***

There is a big debate in media about how to attract new visitors to publication Web sites. A lot of publications are going Web only, and debating whether or not to charge for content. Others, like us, keep our print product but want to offer more on our Web site. The question is: What should we offer on the Web to keep people  coming back. I would love to hear what you would like most from our Web site content. Please e-mail me at nkraft@ustrotting.com.

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Feature Well

Today we laid out the pages for the October issue of Hoof Beats. Usually this is an uneventful part of the publishing process.

It starts when art director Gena Gallagher prints out a thumbnail image of each story on individual 8.5x11-inch sheets of paper and lays them out in order on the long table in the conference room. Nicole comes in and makes sure that everything looks to be in the right order and that all the advertising flows well with the editorial copy.

Today, however, they called me in for my opinion.

Each month we look to have a "feature well," usually four stories, broken up by very little advertising, that have rich art and hard-hitting copy. This month's features are: Little Brown Jug coverage (which will be written next week, naturally), Embryo Transfer, Pennsylvania update and a profile of Treasure Blue Chip, a 34-year-old mare living at Blue Chip Farm. We like to balance between hard-hitting stories (like ET) and more entertaining stories (like Treasure Blue Chip).

Our problem this month was that we had two long, substantial stories in ET and the state of Pennsylvania racing story. We don't want these two stories to come back-to-back and bog down the reader, but we also would like the feature well to end on a lighter note. Plus, we had what amounted to be three cover stories in the same issue, which made it feel heavy.

Eventually we decided to lead with the Jug coverage, then transition into the Pennsylvania story, which is a positive piece written by Tom Lamarra. I made a case to transition into the ET story to keep the meat of the issue together, but not cause a reader standstill by turning from the spalshy Jug layout to the more scientific ET story. We would finish with the Treasure Blue chip story,which will leave the reader coming out of the feature well on a breezy, high note.

We hope you have never even thought of the order of the stories, because if we are doing things right, you never have. TJB

Monday, September 14, 2009

Well Said is Jug Bound

Straight from trainer Steve Elliott: Well Said is going to the Jug!

Harnessphere has been quite active on this topic since a story on Standardbred Canada’s site that the colt might not go to the Jug. Elliott second-trainer Toni Rose, who I think is terrific, was no doubt trying to be diplomatic when she was less than definitive about the colt’s plans for Delaware, and Elliott said her comments were misinterpreted. The truth of the matter, according to Steve, is that Well Said has always been pointed in the Jug’s direction, and that is officially the next stop on his racing dance card.

It’s amazing how quick people jumped on this topic, clearly reflective of sore feelings left over from last year when Somebeachsomewhere skipped the Jug. As one Harnessphere poster pointed out, though, that horse’s absence opened the door for an incredible performance from Shadow Play. There is rarely, if ever, a bad day of racing at Delaware. It is truly one of those racing experiences you need to have in your lifetime—hopefully more than once.

I hope everyone will make it to Delaware for the races and the USTA speaker series, where Steve Elliott will no doubt be asked about the Well Said “controversy” when he speaks to fans with Ron Pierce on Thursday at 9 a.mn. in the Jugette Barn. He is one of several racing celebrities who will be with us Wednesday and Thursday from 8-11 a.m. We will also have prize drawings and coffee and donuts—and I hope we will have the pleasure of your company as well.

Be sure to stop by and say hello!

Nicole

 

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Respect

Barack Obama said a lot of interesting things in his speech on health care reform last night, but the most remembered statement to come from the televised event was just two words--and it did not come from the president.

South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson called out, “You lie!” in response to Obama’s comments on illegal immigrants and his health plan—a break from decorum that shocked members of the Senate and House, pundits and the viewing public. Love him or hate him, agree or disagree, they all say, Obama is our president and should be treated with respect—especially when speaking before Congress and a live, televised audience.

I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment, but I would like to take it further—he should be treated with respect simply because he is a person just like you and me, and no one deserves, or appreciates, being attacked with words.

I write this about just hours after I posted to Harnessphere a reminder that posts to that forum must be made with respect. That does not mean that everyone should agree or pander to each other, but if a point is to be argued, let’s simply do it with civility for our fellow men and women. Name calling and derogatory comments never advanced an argument well.

Our Harnessphere participants have been terrific, for the most part, about speaking to each other without hostility or confrontation, but it has taken a lot of work to get the message board to that condition. I appreciate and respect greatly those who participate, and the terrific monitors we have who work to keep the boards available to all.

I know--perhaps better than some--that not all messaging is like this. The anonymity offered by the Internet seems to remove, for some, the verbal filter that says, “This is really not an appropriate thing to say to or about another person.” But civil dialogue is always more productive, especially when it comes to topics we about which we all care so passionately. I value the opinion of those who impassioned about harness racing, and being able to hear comments and suggestions openly. Let’s keep talking—and let’s be kind!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Great times at Canfield Fair

Today we made a visit to the Canfield (OH) fair, because we are doing a feature story and video on it as the Blue Ribbon Fair Award winner for 2010. Photographer Mark Hall, videographer Rich Johnston and I traveled the three hours from Columbus to visit this fair, which is near Youngstown in the northeast part of the state.

What a great fair!

My harness racing experience started at the county fair, so it feels like coming home when visiting a new fair. All county fairs have the same basic elements: half-mile track, elephant ears and wandering crowds, so what we are looking for in Blue Ribbon Fair Award winners is that dedication to harness racing that sets them apart.

The Canfield Fair requested $500 in USTA Matching Fair Grants, and we were intrigued by what they planned to do with it. They sent 500 postcards to residents of the Canfield area, and the first 25 to bring them to the races received a free tote bag with a harness racing logo on it.

After every race, announcer Roger Huston gave away a Canfield Fair/harness racing water bottle through a losing ticket drawing. There was a wagering seminar before the races, put on by Lee Unkefer, which helped many people learn to make their first bets, as Rich found out when doing video interviews later.

They also had a local TV commercial, but what really blew us away was their Web site www.canfieldfair.com. Check out the Youtube page! I think that is the best part. They are also on Twitter, have a blog and share photos online, so they are certainly bringing a decades-long tradition online for a new audience to discover.

It was great meeting Bev Fisher, fair manager, who submitted the proposal. Her passion for making Canfield the largest and best county fair in Ohio was evident when we spoke with her.

We also enjoyed the hospitality of George Berlin, who gave us a tour of the fair and did a great job in his video interview.

Rich and I kept remarking about how welcome we felt when we were there. County fairs generally tend to be neighborly places, but the folks at Canfield went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, put on a good harness program and get fair visitors interested in harness racing.

Congratulations on being named the 2010 USTA Blue Ribbon Fair!

Cheers,
TJB

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

First of the month

The last week of the month is always the busiest/most exciting for me here in the Hoof Beats war room. I just finished up the Hoof Beats newsletter, which gives an inside look at the stories that are coming out that month. I always have to go back and look at what to cover in the newsletter, though, because by this time I'm deep into the October issue and writing November stories!

We're looking for writers for some new Hoof Beats departments, and I got some responses. I can't wait to see what they write. We had a reader survey some time back and many respondents wanted to read about more "unsung heroes" in racing. Well, we're working to give you more space to tell your story, so please keep those story ideas coming! Better yet, write your story and we'll work to get it out there.

Not a writer, you say? Don't worry--I'm an editor and would be happy to make your story shine.

Hope you enjoy the September issue. It's on its way now!

TJB

Sunday, August 30, 2009

C'est Magnifique!

I have never seen anything quite like Le Cinq Mille, contested over Hippodrome Sulky Quebec. Fifteen horses went to the post. The field remained fairly even and spread out through the first seven laps before the men and the boys were separated.
In the end seven horses made it across the wire, led by the toughest of them all--Heartthrob.
I really wish I could express how wonderful racing is in Quebec--how committed they are to the sport we all love, how much they have dedicated themselves to preserving a long-appreciated way of life. It was one of those afternoons of racing I was simply sorry to see end.
The day started at 9 a.m. meeting my friend Yves Bergeron, who toured me around the track (after a stop for Tim Hortons donuts and coffee to share with the judges). An incredible renovation completed in 2007 has made Sulky Quebec a modern and exciting facility, complete with touch-screen betting carols, a sports bar and flat screen TVs. Yves assured me every seat would be taken by the Cinq Mille, and he was correct.
Those in attendance were clearly in love with racing--cheering the victors, compelled by every lap of every mile. Lunch in the club house was as good as any fine-dining restaurant, with table-side betting in an instant with your own walk-around teller.
But there is one memory that will forever stick with me from my day at Le Cinq Mille--the site of driver Jocelyn Gendron literally jumping for joy when he got off the racebike after Heartthrob's win. He hugged everyone he could find; he high-fived every single fan he could touch; he was carried on the shoulders of his friend and family before entering the winner's circle. In all the American races I have ever seen--the Hambletonian, the Little Brown Jug, the Breeders Crowns--I have NEVER seen a driver show so much excitement, so much emotion, so much joy.
That what racing in Quebec is all about--joie de vie et joie de vivre (joy of life and joy of living). I hope I can bring even a little bit of it home with me to the states!
Bon nuit,
Nicole
Well, the weather calls for a high of 66 degrees and raining, but it could not possibly dampen our spirits for Le Cinq Mille--the Five Mile race contested today at Hippodrome Sulky Quebec.
Our day in Quebec yesterday was spent getting to know this amazing city. We walked miles, stopping at the Musee de civilisation, where we learned about aliens, mummies and Quebec history. The musee was beautiful--stone and high ceilings. And by the time we had listened to various presentations in French, we were quite fluent!
We ended our day at the Chute-Montmorency, a falls 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls (last week after our hockey tournament in Buffalo, Danny and I skipped a trip to the falls with his team, so I hope this made up for it.) It was 50 degrees and windy, which must have kept down any crowds, and it sure made the falls more dramatic.
We are headed off to the track at 9. The races start around noon, with the 5 Mille around 5 p.m. I'll post on Twitter (@Nicole_USTA) all day, and write here when I get an Internet connection.
It's going to be a great day!
A bientot,
Nicole

Friday, August 28, 2009

Quebec est tres jolie!

Bonjour! I am in Quebec for a weekend of beautiful weather, fine food, music and the incredible 100th edition of the legendary 5 Mile Race held at Sulky. I heard many stories of the beauty of this city, but none truly captured how vibrant and lively it is--and how much there is to do and see.
I was met at the airport by my old friend Yves Bergeron, with whom I once raced in California. A Quebec native, Yves is now the director of racing here, and working tirelessly to keep the sport alive and moving forward in this French speaking Canadian province.
I have been an admirer of the 5-Mile race since doing a story on Sound Machine, who won the race multiple times, and I am so grateful to Yves for inviting me to see it in person. It promises to be a true spectacle in, of and for racing!
Hope you will keep reading, as I promise to report every day on our activities here in Quebec--with photos and videos to come on Sunday from the big day of racing (there is a 2-1/2 mile race as well)!
A bientot mes amis!
Nicole

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Hoof Beats Needs YOU!

Hoof Beats is constantly working to best serve our readers, but to that, we need your help. We have several departments—some new, others that have been around a while—that  put your voice in the magazine. But we need people willing to share their experiences and stories!

We are right now encouraging submissions to the following departments and columns:

*NEW* Purse Account: We are looking for smaller-time owners who can speak on the ins and outs of horse ownership. Written by owners, this department will address the major issues impacting them and how they can best guide others through these processes (cash flow issues, understanding bills, maneuvering licensing, controlling costs, etc.)

*NEW* Conditioned Class: Do you have or know of a horse who has made less than $100,000 lifetime, or a driver/trainer/owner/groom who has won less than 250 races, but who has an interesting “back story? If so, we want to hear about you and your story for our new department focusing on the unsung people and horses who are the backbone of the racing industry. (500 word maximum)

* Winner’s Circle: If you have enjoyed a special relationship with a horse, or a truly memorable racing experience, we very much want you to share it with us. (900 word maximum)

* Photo Finish: Our back page is reserved for your prettiest, funniest, cutest, most exciting  photos. We hope you will send them in!

All submissions can be made to me at nkraft@ustrotting.com, or via mail at 750 Michigan Ave., Columbus, OH 43215. Questions: 614.224.2291, ext. 3233.

I can’t wait to receive your submissions!

Nicole

 

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Jog your Memories

Harness racing is a sport built on tradition, and Hoof Beats wants to hear about it. Every other month, there is a section in Starting Lines called "Jog Your Memory," where readers submit their favorite racing memories. We have printed several great stories, but the submissions have slowed to a trickle.

Would you like to share your favorite racing memory with Hoof Beats readers? Just write it down, 300 words or less, and send it to me at tj.burkett@ustrotting.com. Just please be sure to include your first and last name when submitting. The first five people to send in their stories (by Aug. 28) will get a print of Niatross and Clint Galbraith. If you would like a print, please include your mailing address.

Send in your memories. I can't wait to read about them!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Full of Adrenaline

Rich Johnston and T.J. Burkett really outdid themselves on their video efforts from Adrenaline, the big entertainment event up in Canada last weekend. Check it out at www.youtube.com/ustrotting.

Sounds like the event was terrific, though some weather issues may have impacted attendance. There were bands, different types of races, all kinds of food and booths. Rich and T.J. both loved the idea that attendees could buy pre-purchased for $10 betting tickets for five races, without having to do any handicapping, or visiting the betting windows at all—expect to cash! Great idea for the novice.

This week is the beginning and the end around Hoof Beats—the beginning of our ramp up to some extensive coverage at both the Little Brown Jug and Lexington, and the end of our summer interns, who have been such a big part of our staff. Every quarter we welcome students from The Ohio State University, who are selected from Comm 602, the magazine writing class I teach at OSU. Ian, Justynn, Matt, Jonathan and Catlin have made up a super intern class—working hard on stories, interviews, race coverage, etc. We are grateful for their efforts and look forward to our new interns, Samantha, Kristen and Whitney starting up in the fall.

Have a great day,

Nicole

 

Friday, August 21, 2009

First night at Adrenaline


I'm here in Sarnia, Ont., with Rich Johnston, our multimedia coordinator. Last night we went to opening night of the Adrenaline Festival, but getting here was somewhat of an adventure.

We didn't know it, but our hotel is so close to the U.S. that we can see the border crossing from our room. Naturally, we drove past it and we were driving past Hiawatha Horse Park before we realized our mistake. We turned around on the 402 and started to head back.

And that's when the rain hit.

In a matter of moments, it was a blinding rainstorm and we were stopped on the freeway. Later I found out from festival organizer Mark Hetherman that the rain had flooded the paddock and Standardbred Canada CEO Ted Smith there were some power outages in the area. This was three hours before the event was scheduled to begin. By the time we reached the hotel the rain had stopped completely.

We got at the track around 5:15 p.m. with the opening ceremonies set to begin at 6:30. We hadn't been to Hiawatha Horse Park before, but were impressed by the cleanliness and layout of the plant. We went outside and saw that an entire area was set up further down the stretch with rib vendors, a climbing wall and a stage, but the rain and the fact that it was Thursday night may have kept the crowds down.

We talked to several interesting and engaging people on the Canadian harness racing scene, too. In addition to Smith, we talked to Hector Cloutier, the executive director of the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association, and Chris Roberts, who at Georgian Downs introduced Xtreme Horsepower racing to Canada. Check out the videos on ustrotting.com to see what they have to say.

For me, Xtreme Horsepower was the highlight of the night. The concept is a series of odd-distance races, from an eighth of a mile to 1-1/4 miles. The eighth-mile race was over before it started (12.4 seconds), but I liked the 1-1/4-mile races--until the horse I picked managed to get parked for more than a mile!

I can't wait to get back out there tonight. It's Friday night, and with the band challenge, I think the crowds will be out. Rich will produce a video that will air next week, so if you couldn't make it out, he'll be sure you felt like you were there.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Adrenaline Fest

The September issue will be ready to go by Monday, so now I'm getting ready to head up to Sarnia, Ont., Thursday to check out the new Adrenaline Festival. I'm excited to see all the attractions and events they have planned, and how it will be integrated with the harness racing.

The event kicks off Thursday night and will run through Sunday. The first three days will be geared toward 20-30-somethings (which is my age demographic), with Sunday being the designated Family Day. I think it's great that Standardbred Canada has devised and gone through with this idea--we can only hope now that the weather will cooperate!

Stay tuned for coverage in the USTA newsroom, along with exclusive video courtesy of our resident A/V expert, Rich Johnston. There will also be something about my experiences in the October issue of Hoof Beats.

Cheers,

TJB

Friday, August 14, 2009

Post Race, Post Haste

There are few more stimulating times around the Hoof Beats offices then the week after the Hambletonian, where we rush home to write stories, select photos, and put it all together for the September magazine.

I started writing the main race story during the nine-hour car ride home (those Pennsylvania tunnels were a challenge), and finished it up Monday, then wrote eight sidebars by Tuesday afternoon.

But I am just one cog in this wheel—T.J., Chris Tully, Ken Weingartner and all of our interns have also been churning out the work in high gear.

One of my favorite elements we put together today—a photo of the paddock crowd just minutes before the horses head to the track. As many people as we could identify were asked one question: What were you thinking at this moment in time. I bet some of their answers surprise you!

For the first time in my tenure (I can’t speak for any earlier editors), we are also having a contest to select the cover of the September issue. We have three very different shots of Muscle Hill, and the one that gets the most votes will be the cover photo. In the first few hours we had 250 responses, but I can’t tell you who is winning—it’s that close! Be sure to have your vote counted before the deadline next week.

One of the wonderful parts of Hambletonian week is seeking so many friends—those I have known for years, and those I meet that day. I cannot thank enough everyone who asked me about the health of my husband, Brian, who is in remission from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Your good thoughts got us through the tough times, and they make these good times even better. I am so grateful to report that Brian’s six-month CAT scan, taken Wednesday, showed no sign of cancer. It was a wonderful Hambletonian indeed!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Me and Sam McKee

Got a chance to talk to Meadowlands announcer Sam McKee today for a sidebar to our Hambletonian coverge in the September issue. I caught him as he was driving to Alabama to drop his kids off at school. Let me say, Sam is a class act all around.

He has been calling races at the Meadowlands for 10 years now in a platoon system with Ken Warkentin. This year, Ken worked as an on-air analyst for the NBC broadcast, so Sam got a chance to do something that he couldn't even dream of as an aspiring race caller growing up in Michigan--he called the Hambletonian final. When I spoke with him before the race, I could tell that he was excited.

Sam already has called some of the most memorable races in recent memory--including Art Official's upset of Somebeachsomewhere in the 2008 Meadowlands Pace and the raceoff of the 2007 Kentucky Filly Futurity when Ron Pierce waved at fellow driver Trond Smedshammer when he passed by with Passionate Glide--but he said calling the Hambo was a special thrill that will be hard to top. He's so humble, yet so personable, that I walk away in a better mood whenever I speak with him.

A huge reason why I'm such a huge Sam McKee fan goes back to the day I met him. It was 2006, and I was covering the Hambo as part of the team at the Horseman & Fair World. I was introduced to Sam during a break in his nightly TV broadcast when he said, "Didn't a relative of yours race a son of Crash at Sports Creek?" Yes, Sam, my uncle Kelly Burkett raced Supreme Battle p, 2:00f ($22,087), a son of Crash, at Sports Creek Raceway--in 1984! I was stunned that he would remember such a thing about my family, especially since my family's involvement in the sport has been so sporadic. This unbelieveble memory pull endeared him to me for life.

(Side note: I looked it up on PATHWAY, and that year, Supreme Battle made 19 starts, with 16 wins, two seconds and a third, and earned $3,139! I guess we were racing for the love of the game.)

After our formal interview was done today we began to chat. Sam started out calling county fair races in Michigan and Ohio in 1976. I grew up and raced at fairs in Michigan as well, so we shared a common bond in how far we've come from the Michigan county fair circuit to the bright lights of the Meadowlands Racetrack, even if it's just "on the fringe of the sport," as he so eloquently put it.

When I was 15, I remember how my dad and I would finish the fair racing season and ship out to catch the last two months at Hazel Park Raceway. When I would get to warm up on the big five-eighths-mile Detroit oval I thought I had hit the big time, so to get to do what I do now is just over and above any of my wildest expectations. Sam told me about a similar situation when he was driving in qualifiers at the old Wolverine Raceway to get his driver's license, and he "thought he was the cheese!"

I think these humble beginnings keep us both earnest and excited about harness racing. TJB

Monday, August 10, 2009

Winning Relationship

We’re back in Columbus after spending all of Sunday driving back from New Jersey. It’s good to be back home and now it’s time to get to work on putting together all the stories, photos and videos we gathered while we were out at the Hambletonian.

I spent some of the day working on a Hoof Beats story about Hambletonian Oaks winner Broadway Schooner. I found out that Jim Campbell, who conditions Broadway Schooner, also trained her sire, Broadway Hall, and dam, Pine Schooner. It really speaks to Campbell’s longtime relationship with owner/breeders Arlene and Jules Siegel that he is now training champions of champions under the Fashion Farms banner. Campbell said it was a special win for him and the Siegels, who also won the 1995 Hambletonian with Tagliabue.

I’m excited about the September issue, which will be packed with extensive Hambletonian coverage and a Little Brown Jug preview section that I’m sure you’re going to like.

Cheers,
T.J.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Simply Amazing

How can we put into words the awesome display of Muscle Hill? So effortless, so fast, so dominant. I guess that is our job, though--to put it into words--and I hope you enjoy reading our September Hambo/Jug issues as much as we will putting it together. We got some great behind-the-scenes material from the winner and those who chased him, and I can't wait to share it with you

Greg Peck is a writer's dream. Great quotes, great anecdotes, pithy and smart. No cliches from him. And his wife, Nancy, is one of my favorite people in the sport. She is a smart, hard-working lady--she simply inspires me.

And how fun is their son Brendan, who got some terrific interviews with his flip camera. Look for them soon on our YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/ustrotting)!

Speaking of YouTube, did you catch those awesome videos from Rich Johnston? Let me tell you, as someone who was at The Meadowlands--they are truly the next best thing to being there. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

There is no way to reflect on Hambo day and not reflect on the loss of Troy Sylvester. Troy was synonymous with his father, Chuck, a Hall of Famer and five-time Hambletonian legend. I cannot even begin to imagine the despair that has enveloped Chuck, his wife Sharon, and their family, after the shocking accident that led to Troy's incredibly premature death.

May they find some strength and solace in knowing how much they are loved and admired across racing, and how much the sport mourns with them.
Nicole

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Peck's got another top trotter

We had a great time at the autograph session this morning at the Meadowlands. A special thanks to all the drivers who made it happen--I'm sure that line of racing fans around the corner certainly enjoyed it!

Just watched Holiday Road look strong in winning the Peter Haughton final in a stakes-record 1:54, beating the stakes record shared by Donato Hanover (2007) and Muscle Hill (2008). Greg Peck trains the son of Yankee Glide-Jambo, and it's high time to start comparing him with Muscle Hill. Look out, because Peck might be right back here next year with another Hambo favorite. The pedigree is there--Holiday Road is a full brother to Ken Warketin, who was a 2-year-old champion in 2004.

We're on the fifth race now. The Hambo is right around the corner. Good luck and good racing to all the connections!

TJ

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Sorrow Amid the Joy

News coming out about Troy Sylvester has cast a pall on the Hambo festivities. The respected horseman—son of Chuck Sylvester—was in a horrible ATV accident and his injuries are severe. The Sylvesters are one of racing’s finest families, and Troy is a terrific guy. We wish for them only the best.

Met for lunch with T.J., Rich Johnston and Mark Hall to strategize about our next few days. Today we are filming “Eye on Harness Racing,” and hope you catch it at 3 p.m. Friday. T.J. is the host this week straight from The Big M! Mark and I are off for two stories tomorrow, then the cocktail party and races.

Sending prayers out to Troy,

Nicole

 

Hambo Adventure Begins

Am in Philadelphia today to pick up T.J. at the airport and head to The Meadowlands, where we will film “Eye on Harness Racing” (today), conduct some interviews (tomorrow) and cover the Hambo with my great Comm team (Saturday). It’s rainy in Philly today, and since my family has Yankees-Red Sox tickets tonight, I hope it’s just morning showers. It was enough to delay T.J. for a half-hour (so far).

The post draw and press conference were interesting, of course, and there are so many great stories in this field, I can’t wait to start writing. What, however, are the chances of the wonderful Ackerman family getting the 10 hole again for the Hambo. The fates are cruel sometimes.

This has been a week of reunions for me—the Kraft family in Maryland had a Sunday reunion; I spent some time in Washington D.C. with two wonderful old friends; last night I had dinner with my 92-year-old grandmother. Sand now I begin the annual Hambo reunion with my harness racing family. Sharing good times—it’s what life is all about!

More later!

Nicole

 

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Going to the Hambo

I’m getting ready to leave for New Jersey to cover the Hambletonian. For the third straight year, we have a dominant 3-year-old colt trotter in Muscle Hill, and for the third straight year his trainer has been fantastic in dealing with the media. I got the chance to speak at length with Greg Peck, Muscle Hill’s trainer, when I wrote the Trotting Preview story for the March issue. He was a great person to interview, but that’s not surprising considering his day job involves coaching others how to talk to the media.

I’m excited to shoot the new “Eye on Harness Racing” episode tomorrow, live from the Meadowlands. Each week host John Pawlak and producer Rich Johnston put out a better product, and I can’t wait to see what Rich comes up with next. If you have any suggestions for content or improvement, please send us an e-mail at eye@ustrotting.com. We’ve already made some changes in response to some insightful and helpful suggestions. Thank you!

Aside from Delaware County Fair, this is the busiest week of the year for me and much of the USTA Communications Department. This is why I joined the USTA staff, though, so I am looking forward to a great Hambletonian Day of rubbing elbows with racing’s stars and chatting with racing’s biggest fans. Whenever I go on location I am consistently impressed with the deep love and knowledge of harness racing shown by those with whom I speak. I’m positive I won’t be disappointed again this year. Come see us at the Autograph booth after the parade on Hambo Day in Paddock Park.

Nicole and I will keep churning out Hoof Beats blog posts while we're in New Jersey, so stay tuned. Also, we'll be keeping you up-to-date through Twitter, so check us out at www.twitter.com/nicole_usta or www.twitter.com/tj_usta.

Cheers,
T.J.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Chocotonian

Sure, the big news of the day is the Hambletonian draw, but I just heard that Bryan Owen of Chocoversity will be at the Meadowlands once again with his chocolate machine!

You may remember Bryan from a profile in the February 2009 issue of Hoof Beats. Bryan is the business manager for top trotter Corleone Kosmos, and even put his image on a chocolate bar. Last year he had his machine set up at the Hambletonian welcome reception on the eve of the race, where people could get their picture taken and put on a chocolate lollipop. I’m still disappointed that I missed it last year, but photographer Mark Hall did come back to Ohio with his face on a lollipop!

Bryan told me he will have his machine set up inside the grandstand on Hambo Day. He said all profits will go to the Standardbred Retirement Fund, so make sure to stop by and have a delicious treat for a good cause. You know I’ll be there!

And while I’m there, I’ll be doing a special on-location edition of “Eye on Harness Racing,” set for Friday, Aug. 7. I’ve been busy gathering footage for the show—mostly going through old Roosevelt Raceway videos (thanks, Dom Rebelo, for all your help!) to find some classic race calls by the late Jack E. Lee. What do you think is his most famous race call? If you have any ideas, please e-mail me at tj.burkett@ustrotting.com.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Hambo Week

Working hard to push through most of the September issue. I only have three days this week because Thursday I’m flying out to join Nicole, Mark and Rich and cover the Hambletonian. It’s a busy day, and will start with an autograph session with top drivers at 11:15 a.m. We’re also having a Harnessphere meet-up at that time, so if you are at the track that day, be sure to get there early to say hi and meet some other ‘spheresters.
This year we are looking to try new ways to cover the Hambletonian. One thing that’s great about working with Nicole is that both of us are always willing to try to bring you harness racing in new and different ways, so if you have any ideas, please e-mail me at tj.burkett@ustrotting.com. We will do a special section in Hoof Beats, along with video coverage, Twitter updates and a live blog. If there is anything you would like to see, please let me know.
This is one of the busiest—and most fun—weekends of the year for me. I can’t wait to get out there and experience the excitement of trotting’s biggest race all over again. I hope to see you out there!
Cheers,
T.J.

Friday, July 31, 2009

On the Road Again

After today, life around Hoof Beats ramps up in high gear, with our coverage of the Adios and Hambletonian, and continues pretty much non-stop through the Little Brown Jug in September.  At 6 a.m. tomorrow, I am heading east for fun first and then work (although truth be told, the work is pretty fun). We are having a Kraft family reunion first in Maryland, then stopping in Washington DC for two days to show Danny the nation’s capitol (and ideas on the best attractions for 8-year-olds, let me know!) and visit some friends. One of my goals is to stop at Arlington national Cemetery to see our Standardbred friends who serve in the caisson and as the riderless horse for funerals. Next we head to Philadelphia to see my grandmother and pick up TJ, who is flying in from Columbus. Then we head up to the Meadowlands for stories and racing (with a side trip or two into New York City). Whew, I get tired just writing it down! But it will all be worth it.

Getting to see far-flung friends during Hambo weekend is one of the great pleasures of the trip. I look forward to seeing fellow writers from north of the border Dave Briggs and Kim Fisher from Canadian Sportsman and Trot, respectively, as well as Kathy Parker and Gordon Waterstone from Horseman & Fair World. Photographer Dave Landry is one of the nicest—and most talented people—I know, and visiting with him is always a treat. The whole Meadowlands crew--Dave Brower, Sam McKee, Ken Warkentin, Bob Hayden, Amy Silver, Alex Dadoyan—is always great to be with. The many horsemen and owners I respect and admire—some of whom I have known since childhood—will be there, and I look forward to spending time with “Crazy Good” author Charlie Leerhsen and his wife, author Sarah Saffian, as well as my great friend Dan Plesac, who will all be at the track on Hambo day.

I spoke to another friend, Greg Schuler, today over at the Horseman & Fair World. He is working hard at home while his coworkers make the eastern trek. One of his projects is helping our new partnership, Write Stuff Stable, get a our first horse. We are aiming to make a claim soon with trainer Jim Arledge Jr., and I am so excited! I will keep you posted.

BTW, have you checked out our new e-newsletters? The Hoof Beats one, “On Track,” came out today, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the August issue—and it was terrific. There was stuff in there even I didn’t know. If you want to sign up for that one, or any of our other terrific e-newsletters, just visit http://news.ustrotting.com/usta_newsletters.cfm. They are all FREE!

Don’t forget, if you are at the Hambo, stop by and say hello during the autograph session, or flag me down as I run from front to back paddock about 400 times. It will be great to take a break to talk.  

Nicole

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Keeping 'On Track'

The August issue is off to the printer and should be in your mailboxes next week. Today I finished the newest edition of “On Track,” the Hoof Beats online newsletter. It’ll come out Friday afternoon, and you’ve got to check it out.

Each month I ask those who worked so hard on these stories to share the “behind the scenes” moments they experienced. It’s also great to hear from the voices that don’t get heard in Hoof Beats. A regular contributor is photographer Mark Hall, who has a journalism degree from The Ohio State University, but found out his talent is best suited holding a camera, not a pen. Turns out he’s a great writer.

Sometimes I just include the personal stuff that could not be included in the story, either due to space issues or editorial reasons. For example, the piece titled “Spend Money to Make Money” by freelance writer Ralph Sucee was initially at the beginning of the story he sent in, but we just didn’t have enough space to run it. Ralph is one of the finest writers in harness racing, so I hated to lose such a great insight into his writing process—that’s why I knew it would be perfect for this month’s newsletter.

I also try to get an update on the horse featured in the horse profile or Equine Clinic. These stories may have been written 60 days or more before you see them, so much may have changed in the horse’s career in that time. This time we got some bad news, as writer Cait Barnett found out that trotting sensation Mya Tri is not currently racing due to knee problems. You may remember this filly won 21 straight starts in Indiana in 2007-2008.

To make sure you get this month’s newsletter, be sure to sign up here:

http://news.ustrotting.com/usta_newsletters.cfm

Cheers,

T.J.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Hambo Anyone?

It is hard to believe summer has flown by so quickly and the Hambletonian is just 1-1/2 weeks away. We have spent quite a bit of time planning for our coverage—especially now that we have added our video component with Media Manager Rich Johnston. Rich is an award-winning cameraman who has worked for several network affiliates around the country, most recently with Channel 10 here in Columbus. We are so lucky to have gotten him when he made a career change. He has done amazing work with our new “Eye on Harness Racing” and in the coverage of events already, so I know he will offer a great product from the Hambo as well.

In addition to Rich, photographer Mark Hall and managing editor T.J. Burkett will be making the trip with me, as well as one of our editorial interns, Jonathan Marsh, who is a member of the Clyde Hirt Media Workshop this year. Jonathan was a standout student of mine in the Magazine Writing class I teach every quarter at The Ohio State University, and he has been a great part of our staff for the past two quarters. I know it will be a great experience for him, and we are excited to have him there writing for Hoof Beats.

If you can’t be at the Hambo, I know our coverage will make you feel like you were there. But if you do want to attend, I have a special opportunity for you. We have two grandstand seats for the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day that I will make available to the first person who emails me at nkraft@ustrotting.com. But if you do take the tickets, you have to promise to stop by our 11:15-noon autograph session with the drivers in Paddock Park—I’d love to met you! In fact, I’d love to meet any and all of our readers and hope you will take a minute to stop by to say hello. It is for you that we come to work and do our best every day, and we thank you for sticking with us.

Have a great day,

Nicole

Monday, July 27, 2009

Drivers

I spent part of my day talking to some of my favorite people in the sport--the horsemen who share their time with the fans who admire them.
Every year the USTA sets up autograph sessions with horsemen at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day. There is no denying Hambo day is a busy one for everyone involved, not the least of which are the drivers who are gearing up for what could be their biggest career victory. And they are even busier this year with a new Hambletonian parade, which starts at 11 a.m. at the track. But every horseman I called and asked if the would be part of an autograph session with the fans said "yes" first, and asked for the details later.
Keep in mind--I have been asking these horsemen for help for going on 14 years, and I continue to be amazed and honored at how many times they have come through. It is a testament to our sport and to its fans, and makes me feel incredibly proud every time to be part of this community.
If you are around the Meadowlands on Hambo day, I hope you will join us from 11:15-noon in Paddock Park, where we will be joined by John Campbell, Steve Elliott, Yannick Gingras, Jody Jamieson, Andy Miller, David Miller, Ron Pierce and maybe a few others. We will have a limited quantity of free photos to be signed, as well as posters commemorative Hambo T-shirts for sale.
And when you get your autograph, take a minute to give thanks for our wonderful sport. We are truly lucky to be part of it.