Page 12 - The Game March 2006

12 The Game, March 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
The Era of The Heckler
A Head at the Wire
The fifth in a series of real life stories
by Paddy Head majeek05@hotmail.com
News In Review
A deadly barn fire on February 5 at Eureka Downs in Eureka, Kansas, killed 43 horses, most of which were 2-year-olds in training. Both thoroughbreds and quarter horses were killed. One horse, who received burns to 25% of his right side of his body, escaped the blaze. The barn at the year round training facility which hosts races from May - July, was built in 1989 and had 90 stalls. One trainer, lost his entire stable of 23 horses in the fire.
Sam Rubin, owner of the rags-to-riches champion, John Henry, died February 13 in Palm Beach, Florida. He was 91. According to the Blood Horse Sam was a bicycle importer from New York who purchased John Henry privately as a three-year- old for $25,000. John Henry went from competing in claiming races to horse of the year titles in 1981 and 1984 and five other Eclipse Awards. He was retired at age nine with 39 wins in 83 career starts and more than $6.5 million in earnings. John Henry, now age 31, resides at Kentucky Horse Park.
The California Horse Racing Board approved a motion by unanimous decision stating that thoroughbred meets that operate for at least four continuous weeks will be required to install a synthetic racing surface by the end of 2007 or face a loss of dates. The new regulation which was approved February 16 is open to a 45-day public comment period before the board can finalize it. The decision was made siting the current problem of unsafe track surfaces which has resulted in more than 240 fatalities of California horses at the racetracks between 2003 and 2005.
Polytrack is a blend of fiber, recycled rubber, and silica sand coated with wax and after if was installed at Turfway Park last year statistics from September to December showed that there were only three catastrophic breakdowns from 4479 starters and that wagering jumped drastically which is believed to have been a result of running on a surface with no track bias. 94% of the jockeys and 85% of trainers at Turfway said the track was safer.
The estimated installation cost is between $6 million and $9 million per installation.
Due to the ongoing restrictions on shipping horses in and out of Maryland, Laurel Park has cancelled the 2006 running of the G2 General George Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the G2 Barbara Fritchie Breeders’ Cup H. Maryland has been under a state quarantine because of the problem with equine herpesvirus at the racetracks in the State.
Canadian born “actress” and animal rights activist, Pamela Anderson, is boycotting the Kentucky Derby because of its sponsorship deal with Yum! Brands, the parent company of Kentucky Fried Chicken, as well as A&W, Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.
Pamela Anderson, representing the organization of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have had a long standing and very public protest with KFC.
Yum! Brands becomes the first Churchill Downs corporate partner to be named sponsor of the classic race. The five year deal will see the race re-named in 2006 as the “Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands.”
Previous triple crown series hopeful, Stevie Wonderboy, underwent surgery on February 10 to repair a fractured ankle which he suffered during a workout at Hollywood Park on
February 6. The 2005 Eclipse Champion two-year-old is reported to have sailed through the surgery and the prognosis is “fantastic” with the Kentucky-bred son of Stephen Got Even scheduled to get back under tack in 90 days.
Retired Hall of Fame jockey, Laffit Pincay Jr. has settled a lawsuit against Santa Anita Park regarding his career ending injuries which he suffered at the track on March 1, 2003. It was reported that it involved a seven-figure sum.
At first glance The Heckler was
very impressive. A dark bay gelding,
just over 16 hands, he had a regal bearing and that cherished look of eagles. Finally, a mount that would be in the running. I was impressed until he walked out of the deep straw bedding and I saw his left front leg. The Heckler had a bow big enough to impress Robin Hood.
Eddie Kelly had given me some sage advice. “When you walk into the saddling paddock, never look below the horse’s knee.” But this was the shedrow, the place where the decision to ride or not to ride was made.
Bobby Venezia assured me the bow was hard and cold. He had given the horse a couple of months off when the injured tendon has displayed heat and he was now ready to get back into full training. I was skeptical until I heard the gelding’s age - The Heckler was seven years old. He had bowed as a four year old and been running sound ever since.
Spring was in the air and so were many changes. Jack Crotty had decided to get out of the racing business which meant I needed a new contract holder. I was galloping all of the horses in Bobby’s barn and he was more than willing to make use of the triple bug to get the weight off his mounts.
To supplement my income and my riding schedule, I rode for a few other trainers who had horses with unusual habits. I learned early that I would never have complete control over these eccentric mounts and my best hope was to be a major influence. I respected a horse’s innate wisdom and learned how to work with it rather than against it. Trust translates into confidence, both in humans and equines. Horses that had reputations as runoffs would gallop around calmly for me if I remained relaxed. Bolting on the turn could often be eliminated by keeping a loose rein and whistling a happy tune (mostly to keep myself from grabbing the inside rein). Occasionally, I was seen bumping the outside rail or being pulled up by the outrider in the third lap. On one unforgettable morning, I had a horse bolt on the way back. With a mere 20 yards of slop and mud left before the concrete took over, I decided to abandon ship. Untrained in jumping off horses at 30mph, I could only leap and hope for the best. I hit the slop and rolled every inch of that 20 yards. Struggling to my feet, I found I could barely walk - not from injuries but from the extra ten pounds of mud. Trainer John Meili approached me gingerly. Adjusting his cowboy hat to just the right angle, he looked me over from mud-covered head to toe. “Looks to me like the only thing you injured was your pride.”
I first made friends with The Heckler while ponying him. I was nervous the first day I galloped
him, with visions of the big strong horse taking off and re-injuring the bow. He was feeling frisky for the first lap but settled into a nice rhythm. He had a way about him that reminded me he’d been at this game several years longer than I had.
Meanwhile, we had a new addition to the women’s jock room. Joan O’Shea was now riding full time at Suffolk. Her husband, Joe O’Shea, was one of the top trainers, a sharp Irishman who had connections with a NY stable and some highly bred horses. Joan was rarely aboard her husband’s horses in the afternoon. She not only had her gender playing against her but also her age, being in her late forties. Having grown up in England with a father who trained steeplechasers, there was nothing about riding and racing that Joan didn’t know. I was fortunate enough to have this wonderful woman take me under her wing and mentor me in the art of race riding. I galloped in company with Joan as often as I could and honed skills of pacing, timing, switching sticks and developing that imperceptible clock in my head. I’ve always loved games of strategy, a skill that racing definitely demands. But to get to that level, I needed mounts that had more talent and fewer eccentricities. Joan suggested a horse in her barn that might be the answer.
Bouncing Bessie was not only beautiful, she was big and brave - and she was for sale. Bobby bought her in spite of the fact that she had two front ankles as large as her heart. Before Joe O’Shea left for the winter, he gave Bobby specific instructions on how to run her. Suffolk was dark and Lincoln Downs was running. Bobby put Bessie in a five furlong race, certain that Joe had recommended a sprint. When the Form came out, it was immediately obvious that Joe had said never in a sprint. The mare only got into stride after a mile.
When the starting gate opened at Lincoln Downs, the field sprinted away from me. I was so far behind I didn’t get any dirt thrown in my face. As I crossed the finish wire, Bessie was just getting warmed up and I wound my way through horses like a pole bending champion. Entering the backstretch, I saw the outrider loping along like he was out for a Sunday stroll until he turned his head and saw the big black mare steamrolling towards him. Whatever his pony’s breeding, he got into gear as quickly as a roping horse breaking from the chute and caught Bessie just as she was about to hit top speed at her preferred distance.
A plan was forming in my brain. With Bessie’s size and heart I had the power. With her preferred distance, I would have all the time I needed to put my plan into action.
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