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

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

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

 

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!

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

 

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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

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

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

 

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.

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.

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.