What a difference

In 2009, Calvin Borel wins the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
In 2007, Calvin Borel wins the Kentucky Derby and places second in the Preakness.

In 2009, Calvin Borel is the talk of the town, appears on the David Letterman show, and has a Derby winner as his mount in the Belmont Stakes.

And in 2007? Oh, dear Reader, I suspect you've already forgotten what the hard-working Mr. Borel was doing on Belmont Stakes Day in 2007.

Go ahead -- try to remember ....

No, he didn't have a mount on the Belmont undercard. Guess again.
No, he wasn't riding "some filly" in a stakes at Churchill. Guess again.
No, he wasn't riding "some turf horse" in the Charles Whittingham Memorial at Hollywood Park.

No, no, no.

Shockingly, the last time Borel was the reigning Derby-winning jockey, he spent Belmont Stakes day riding in a few allowances and a minor stakes race. A very minor stakes race.

In 2007, only a few weeks after lunching with the Queen of England, the charmin' Cajun found himself in wild and wonderful West Virginia, where he rode Go Now in the Slipton Fell Stakes at Mountaineer.

And that, dear Reader, is the difference between "Win" and "Place" in the Preakness.

Mystery date

For months now, while other gals have been making eyes at Derby dates, or flirting with out-of-town tracks, here at the relocated Castle, I've been waiting ever so patiently for the opening of Prairie Meadows. None of that lukewarm Derby fever here -- I'm not looking for a one-night stand in May. Nope, I'm hoping for something more long-term than that.

It's true that I've been missing my old beau, Mountaineer, something awful. And I was absolutely thrilled when HANA chose Mountaineer for its "buycott" race of the week, as it gave me a legitimate reason to take a peek at the ex. I must admit my heart went pitter-pat as I listened to announcer Peter Berry mentioning HANA's designated race. Simulcast hosts Mark and Nancy looked like they were having fun, too. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought there was a stakes race on the card.

So, I guess I've have been a bit nostalgic for the former home track. Yes, I understand the arguments against year-long racing, but there was something comforting in the knowledge that Mountie was always there, maybe not the most attentive boyfriend, but except for 2 weeks in January, a reliable alternative for a Saturday night.

But now Mountie's 800 miles away now, and I've always been a "love the one you're with" kind of gal. So I'm definitely in the mood to give this new Perry Meadows guy a chance. So far, he's looking pretty good, with advertisements about racing on tv, radio, and even the lampposts downtown. And there are even racing picks for Friday's races on the Des Moines Register's site!

Of course I've been asking around about Perry, snooping through tons of articles at the Des Moines Register. I already know that there'll be no turf racing, ever. since there's no grass track. Sure, that's a big minus, but then again, maybe I'll like the quarter horses when they arrive in July. On the plus side, there'll be a Haskell-winning rider in the gate tonight: Tim Doocy, an Iowa native whose 5000 wins rank him ahead of Gary Stevens and Eddie Arcaro.

I'm trying not to expect too much, but really, doesn't it sound good: Spring in Iowa! Live races! Thundering hoofbeats! Ten-cent superfectas! Be still, my heart.

Thoroughbred racing returns to Iowa tonight. And me, I've got a mystery date. Fingers crossed that he's a dream, not a dud!

And the winner is ...

Apparently, much of the racing world spent yesterday:

• rejoicing in a great day of Derby prep races
• plotting to demonstrate the power of horseplayers to affect wagering pools
• wondering how a syringe can be called a cough drop

However, here at the Turf Luck, we were waiting for the announcement of the winner of the Dr. Tony Ryan Award, known 'round here as the Monograph Mile. And oh, my, what a fabulous finish!

Readers who've followed the Monograph Mile preps know that 3 contenders were entered for this, the highest honor in books about Thoroughbreds.

At the post: Silks, jockeyed by veteran Dick Francis enters the gate like a pro while co-author Felix watches intently from the stands. The well-bred The History and Art of 25 Travers with Vic Zast in the irons looks every bit a deserved favorite. The last to load, The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita, sporting a CD shadowroll, is ridden by Rudolph Alvarado, whose only experience is in the quarter horse world of academia, history, and such.

And then, they're off! Francis surges to the lead, engaging readers at the rail with his tale of murder and menace. Around the turn, Zast makes his move, and it's a thing of beauty, his mount powered by memories and art of races past. But look! Alvarado will not be denied! Suddenly, at the sixteenth pole, he pulls out the whip, posting a YouTube video to promote his book.

And under patient urging, Untold Story comes on! Readers hold their breath, tickets clenched tight -- can he reach the leader in time?

Then, suddenly, they're at the wire, and by a head -- it's The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez! Alvarado has scored the upset with a tale five years (and more than 15,000 race calls) in the making!

I'm still breathless from the excitement.

Though I was rooting for Dick and Felix Francis on Silks, I can't help but be impressed by the dedication that led to this victory: Alvarado spent years tracking down sources nationwide, spurred on by a mention of Joe Hernandez in Lauren Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit. For all his popularity as a sportswriter and race announcer, Hernandez lived a life shrouded in mystery -- even his own children had no idea where he was born! -- and it was only through unbridled tenacity that his story has been told.

Below: Rudolph Alvarado, flanked by Shane Ryan and Mark Simon, in the winners circle for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. (Thoroughbred Times)


Congratulations to Mr. Alvarado! And for those who want to learn more about this tale of an amazing Latino of an earlier era, autographed copies of The Voice of Santa Anita: The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez are available for a mere $16.47 from www.voiceofsantaanita.com, where you can also find a sample chapter from the book and examples of Herandez race calls dating as far back as the Big 'Cap of 1937.

By the way, the team at Thoroughbred Times (which presents the award along with the folks at Castleton Lyons farm) has done a fabulous job of providing coverage of the Award this year, offering a great pdf of the semi-finalists, and now posting replays of the final stretch including video of Rudolph Alvarado and Vic Zast speaking before the Award presentation. (Peter Williams spoke on behalf of the absent Francis duo.)

And the video offerings don't stop there; awards show addicts may also view judges Audrey Korotkin and Bill Mooney offering opening remarks. I was especially interested in Ms. Korotkin's comments, which noted that this year, the award attracted more publicity, "not just in local paper, but from blogs online..." As the blog that has followed this award since its inception, we at Turf Luck were delighted with this shout-out to the online world.

Budding writers take note: during his opening remarks, Shane Ryan noted that "if anyone would like to do a book about Gio Ponti next year, they'd be more than welcome. It sounds a bit like Seabiscuit: named after an Italian architect, trained by a Frenchman, and owned by a crazy Irishman." I must admit: if someone wrote it, I'd read it!

Yes, once again the Monograph Mile proved to be a satisfying race -- and not a syringe in sight.

Doing our part -or- swimming with the (big) fishes

The good folks at the Horseplayers Association of North America (HANA) called a "buycott" today, and here at the Quinella Castle, we did our part to further the cause of lower take-outs and higher responsiveness to horseplayers. It was a tiny, tiny part, but really what do you expect of a castle crammed into a one-bedroom Des Moines walk-up?

HANA encouraged horseplayers to wager on a run-of-the-mill $7.5K claiming race, the sixth at Will Rogers Downs, and voices ranging from Bill Finley to the TBA's own GreenButGame joined the chorus to let handle-power be heard. And it worked! According to those with way more mathematical skills than I, the HANA buycott increased the overall pool by 96%, and the exacta pool rose by a whopping 147%.

Even the lowly quinella pool was up 62%, though sadly I had nothing to do with that, as I'm a tad rusty on looking for my favorite wager. After Keeneland stopped offering the quinella, I pretty much quit looking for the most melodious of wagers. Long ago, I resigned myself to a recurring refrain of "box that exacta and call it a quinella." So, while speed-reading the cool Trackmaster Platinum Plus past performances while sipping my morning cup of joe, I simply missed the Q in the list of wagering options.

This is especially unfortunate as the HANA race turned out to be one of those occasions when the quinella actually outperformed the exacta box wager: the $1 exacta box paid $19.60 while the similarly priced $2 quinella paid $32.60.

But the important thing is this: the Quinella Castle's tiny contribution to the buycott combined with wagers big and small to make a difference in the race 6 handle at Will Rogers Downs. Minnows as well as whales were swimming in those mutual pools, and together their wagers added up to the sort of efforts that can lead to meaningful change. Deep pockets or just pocket change, we've all got a stake in getting the attention of racetrack management.

I'll be putting some of my meager winnings into a bottle of cheap champagne with which to toast those smart HANA folks. And, since the Quinella Crew are HANA members, I guess we'll have to say, "Here's to HANA! Here's to us!"

Monograph Mile update -or- trifecta busted

The finalists for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award (aka the Monograph Mile) have been announced, and sadly, my trifecta is simply another addition to the ticket litter on the grounds of the Quinella Castle. Once again, my inability to gauge the imports and my stubborn resistance to betting on favorites combined to do me in.

Without further ado, the finalists:

• The History and Art of 25 Travers by Vic Zast, featuring the art and posters of Greg Montgomery. This is that favorite I so blithely ignored. All I can say is that I recognized the strength of this entrant, compared it to sleek and fit equine entrants from Dubai, and noted that "it has all the makings of a winner." I just didn't include on my ticket!
  


• The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita by Rudolph Alvarado. Of this entry, I observed: "Meticulous research and competent writing give this one a chance to hit the wire. And -- it comes with a CD of Hernandez's actual calls. I have no idea of what to do with this equipment change." Obviously, I'll need to pay attention to "first time CD" angle in the future.


• Silks by Dick Francis and Felix Francis. At least my favorite entry will end up no worse than show. As I mentioned: "The racing scenes are vivid, the plot is engrossing, and all in all, I expect this one to turn in a solid performance."
  
  For those of us who applaud a horse's 4-year old, 5-year old, 6-year old campaign, an author with 40+ titles to his credit is akin to the "iron horse" who draws fans year in and year out, often without fanfare. I know this particular award wasn't created to honor a body of work, but still, I'm rooting for Silks, the entry from the best of the jockeys-turned-writers who's kept horse racing on the bestseller lists through thick and thin.
  

The award winner will be named on April 5, and so far as I know, the event will not be covered by NBC, ESPN, or Book TV. Nonetheless, here at Turf Luck Wagering, Inc., we'll be waiting for the results to be posted with unabated interest: two weeks of laundry is on the line. I'm still alive with my bet on Silks, but the King's got his baskets on 25 Travers.

Royale Michele goes to the post

Royale Michele, once a Mountaineer regular, now a G-2 winner, goes to the post in the Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct today on Saturday. Secret Gypsy and Zada Belle look like the ones to beat, but homesick as I am, I can't help it: Go Michele!! Here's hoping she makes it 5 in a row.

(You can find past performances for the race at Todd Pletcher's site: look for Awesome Ashley or Distorted Passion to find the Ultimate PPs from Brisnet.)

Handicapping the Monograph Mile

With only days before the three finalists are named for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, the wagering is hot and heavy here at Turf Luck, where I'm betting two weeks of doing the laundry (down 4 flights of stairs!) that I've got the winner in this year's Monograph Mile. I've studied the conditions:

One of the richest book awards in the world, the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award honors the best books published about Thoroughbred racing. ...Nominees for the Book Award can be in any category: fiction, non-fiction, handicapping, training, children’s, health care, photography, etc., as long as it pertains to an aspect dealing with Thoroughbreds. Judges selected by Thoroughbred Times will critique books on content, plus design, layout, and artwork, when relevant, to select the 2008 winner. (Thoroughbred Times)

Now let's take a look at the field:

The favorites
A couple of big horses lead the entries:

• My Guy Barbaro by Edgar Prado with John Eisenberg brings together a great jockey and a beloved racehorse -- there's no better combination in a two-turn race. Mix in the skills of John Eisenberg, author of The Great Match Race, Native Dancer, The Grey Ghost: Hero of a Golden Age and The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby and Barbaro, in literature as in life, is once again the one to beat. As one commentor noted, this contender might not be in the same league as last year's winner, but My Guy Barbaro remains a strong entrant from the HarperCollins barn, nonetheless. For a peek into shedrow, you might check out Eisenberg's description of working with Prado at last year's New York Times blog, The Rail , and you can peek in the paddock by browsing inside the book over at the HarperCollins site. TL odds: 3-1.


• The History and Art of 25 Travers by Vic Zast featuring the art and posters of Greg Montgomery is this year's coffee-table entry. A visually stunning book, with impeccable breeding: author Zast, whose writing graces Blood-Horse,HorseRaceInsider.com, and MSNBC.com brings deep knowledge and literary craftsmanship; Mongomery's "British Railway Art style" posters take you right to the best of Saratoga: the paddock, the starting gate, the rail, the stretch. It's the most expensive of those going to the gate, which is fitting since it's the kind of book the Sheik would own. And its homage to the long tradition of Saratoga's premier race shows it can go the distance. Really, this one has all the makings of a winner. But ... with 100 of its 144 pages devoted to graphics, is 25 Travers game enough? Judge for yourself with a look at Montgomery's Travers artwork and the book's website. TL odds: 5-2.
  

The juveniles
Two youthful runners go to the gate in this year's race:

• The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby: The Story of Jimmy Winkfield by Crystal Hubbard captures the thrill of racing in this an accurate telling of the legendary jockey in language that's accessible to the mid-elementary school set. The illustrations by Robert McGuire are a tad muddy, but beguiling, especially when depicting quiet moments, such as Wink and his 1900 mount, Thrive, alone in front of Churchill's famous spires. The judges may appreciate the book's frankness when dealing with racism in the 1900s, as well as this entrant's ability to reach a new generation. TL odds: 10-1.


• The tiny barn of Mitten Press sends out Twoey and the Goat by Robbie Timmons. Written for readers in grades 3-6, the book tells the story of Two Links Back, "Twoey," and his companion, a goat named Kidd. Though the facts of the story are true -- Two Links Back was an Illinois-bred who raced 59 times (8-10-4) before being rescued by CANTER -- Timmons has fictionalized the thoroughbred's tale with Twoey's thoughts as he learns to be a racehorse, is injured, and eventually finds a new home. All while accompanied by his dear friend, Kidd. More information about the story is available at CANTER, and you can watch this one warm up by checking out the excerpt at Mitten Press (pdf). TL odds: 10-1.

The sprinter
A solid runner tries to go the distance:

• Beyond the Track: Retraining the Thoroughbred from Racehorse to Riding Horse by Anna Morgan Ford with Amber Heintzberger fulfills the promise of its title: explaining how to deal with leg injuries, hoof problems, aftereffects from steroid use, and gastric ulcers. It offers a step-by-step training program that she's honed in her work at New Vocations Racehorse Adoption. It does this all very, very well; it really is a wonderful guide. And I'm sure the judges will give consideration to the dearth of books on the topic of retired racehorses, but -- I'm thinking the track bias is towards something a tad more ... literary. Others more likely. TL odds: 15-1.

The shipper
It seems as if there's always at least one runner that is a total mystery to me. It's much like trying to decode a major turf race with all those foreign entrants and nothing to go on but a finish and those darn Racing Post/Timeform speed figures. This year's mystery entry:

• The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita by Rudolph Valier Alvarado. From the apparently one-horse barn of Caballo Press of Ann Arbor comes this tale of a most fascinating racetracker: Joe Hernandez, long-time announcer at Santa Anita. Hernandez called a phenomenal 15,587 consecutive races at Santa Anita, from the day the track opened until 1972 when internal bleeding caused him to faint at the mic. Along the way, he was a trainer, auctioneer, bloodstock agent, and turf writer. All during a time when few Mexican-Americans enjoyed much success at all. It is a fascinating life. Meticulous research and competent writing give this one a chance to hit the wire. And -- it comes with a CD of Hernandez's actual calls! I have no idea of what to do with this equipment change. A visit to the paddock reveals that excerpts from both the text and the CD are available on the author's website. TL odds: 7-1.

The aging veteran
The old favorite we love to cheer, still in the running:

• Silks by Dick Francis and Felix Francis. Francis has ridden more than forty mysteries featuring thoroughbreds and racetracks to the bestseller lists, and he is by far the most established author in this race. And still he keeps on writing, a deft hand on the pen, handily bringing home another winner. While I wasn't particularly fond of his entry last year, as I fond it to have "too much cooking, not enough racing", this year, he's brought us a fine tale of murder in the jockey's quarters and an amateur steeplechaser who sets out to find the murderer. The racing scenes are vivid, the plot is engrossing, and all in all, I expect this one to turn in a solid performance. TL odds: 6-1.
  

Though I have a suspicion that the track bias favors important non-fiction works for grown-ups, I believe this might be the year a novel finishes first. That cagey paperback rider, Dick Francis, has saved one of his best tales for late in his career, and at the age of 88, it's likely there won't be many more opportunities for racing to honor the contribution this jockey to the Queen has made to the sport. When racing fans talk about furlongs and irons with those who've never seen a track, and they seem to understand -- it's because of Dick Francis. He's the Kelso, the Evening Attire, of this field, and he's certainly proven he can go the distance and then some.

Beyond that, I think it's a toss-up, with contenders of such diverse strengths. I'm terribly fond of children's books, and by reaching the semi-finals, the two juvenile entries have shown that the stewards (judges Audrey Korotkin, Bill Mooney, and T.D. Thornton) are open to reading books geared to younger readers. Of the two, I'd give the edge to Twoey and the Goat for its answer to the question, "How does a horse become a race horse?" along with its focus on the current hot topic of horse rescue.

Likewise, I'm giving Edgar and his guy Barbaro the edge over the other biography going to the post. His genuine affection for the horse, his adept co-author, and the competency of the big-time stable seem more likely than the CD-equipped story of Joe Hernandez.

Turf Luck picks:

• Silks by Dick Francis and Felix Francis
• Twoey and the Goat by Robbie Timmons
• My Guy Barbaro by Edgar Prado with John Eisenberg

Wish me luck on the trifecta!