Blog Profile / Bob's Notes on a Program
| URL : | http://blog.bobikepicks.com/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Gambling / Track Betting | |
| Posts on Regator: | 47 | |
| Posts / Week: | 0.2 | |
| Archived Since: | March 4, 2008 | |
Blog Post Archive
Old racing horse is a winner with autistic boys–by Bill Dwyre, L.A. Times
In horse racing terms, Grant and Greta Hays have had a rough trip. They have two young children, both severely autistic. “After we had Jack, we wanted to have another child,” Grant Hays says. “We thought the odds of having a second with autism were really low.” Jack is 6, Dylan 2. Neither speaks, except [...]
Spot the Diplomat finds second career soothing autistic children–by Jay Hovdey, DRF column 11/21
On a three-acre patch of Texas ranchland, just south of the city of Austin, a 6-year-old son of Worldly Manner named Spot the Diplomat has found a home with the family of Grant and Greta Hays. Funny where horses end up. Funny what they end up doing. Spot the Diplomat was a real racehorse. He [...]
Spot the Diplomat: Making a Difference–by Bob Ike
Summit Racing LLC was only fortunate enough to own Spot the Diplomat for the final two races of his 41-race career. A career that saw him win seven races, including a stakes race as a 2-year-old, while earning more than $342,000 over five seasons. After winning a Cal-bred allowance race at Santa Anita first time [...]
Zenyatta’s finale was a ride to remember–by Dick Jerardi, Philadelphia Daily News
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When it is so perfect that everybody at the track is looking down the stretch gauging the distance from the closing horse to the frontrunning horse to the wire and screaming for something far more significant than a horse race or history or really anything tangible, you almost want to freeze the [...]
It might be too late to fix Oak Tree problem–by Art Wilson, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Wow, I hope none of my close friends ever turn on me the way Magna International Developments, Santa Anita’s new parent company, turned on the Oak Tree Racing Association last week. Perhaps the conversation went something like this: Oak Tree executive: “Hey guys, congrats on getting that messy Chapter 11 thing cleared up. It’s going to be [...]
Harper to cut back on duties at Del Mar –by Jeff Nahill, North County Times
Joe Harper has decided to spend more mornings on horseback during the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s annual racing season and less time dealing with paperwork. Harper, who turns 67 on Saturday, relinquished the titles of president and general manager to Craig Fravel on Tuesday. Harper will maintain the title of chief executive officer. Fravel, 53, previously [...]
Santa Anita won’t scratch surface–by Art Wilson, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
A group of about a dozen Southland trainers showed up at Santa Anita on Monday to discuss the track’s racing surface with owner Frank Stronach. After the announcement Jan. 18 that Santa Anita would replace its existing synthetic Pro-Ride track at the end of the current meet, trainers were anxious to express their feelings and hear [...]
Horse racing owners, trainers should join forces–by Art Wilson, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Wow, and I thought my bank account was in disarray. Raise your hand if you think the California horse racing industry could get any more messed up than it already is today. Didn’t think so. Let’s start with two of the licensed Advance Deposit Wagering companies. I’m no genius, but it seems to me this is a sport that [...]
Favorites finally finding the winner’s circle–by Ed Zieralski, San Diego Union-Tribune
DEL MAR — As much as racing at Del Mar is about the beach atmosphere, the pageantry and the beauty of thoroughbreds racing at 40 mph, it’s really about the action. That would be the betting action. It’s the toteboard, the trip to the window and then collecting on the winning ticket or tossing the losing one. It’s [...]
Rachel Alexandra’s Preakness
Okay, so maybe my Derby analysis wasn’t so great. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone. While I thought one of the four favorites (three after the early morning scratch of I Want Revenge) would win, I had picked Mine That Bird to finish last. Like someone said to me later, “Turn the paper upside down and you had [...]
One of Four Will Win Derby
Last year’s Derby was easy. Big Brown stood out a mile over 19 overmatched 3-year-olds. This year’s Derby, however, is another story altogether. Whether you’re betting at a racetrack, simulcast facility or online, true horseplayers are playing the Derby. Even the most casual racing fan puts at least a few bucks down on Derby Day–it’s almost [...]
He doesn’t want to be a nag about horse racing, but …–By Bill Dwyre, L.A. Times Columnist
In many ways, this year’s Kentucky Derby, just 11 days away, will be a horse of a different color. The actual two minutes of racing should not be a departure from the past. There will be a large field. The start will be a cavalry charge. The best horse may or may not win, depending on [...]
Late Odds Drops Have to Stop
I’m not much of a conspiracy theorist, but what I saw yesterday at Santa Anita is most disturbing. As the horses loaded into the gate for the seventh race, the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap, MR GRUFF was listed at 4/1 on the tote board. After breaking cleanly and getting to the front, his odds dropped [...]
Gearing up for the Kentucky Derby–by Art Wilson, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
It’s tough enough trying to handicap the Kentucky Derby without the added guessing game of whether the synthetic horses can successfully transfer their form to dirt. There’s no doubt Pioneerof the Nile, the Empire Maker colt who gave trainer Bob Baffert his record fifth Santa Anita Derby victory April 4, should be among the favorites when [...]
DEL MAR: Track plans more changes–by Jeff Nahill, North County Times
The changes for the 2009 season at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club are coming fast and furious. Track officials will go before the California Horse Racing Board next month to drop Monday racing, cutting its 43-day meet to 37 days. And on Sunday, officials said they plan to revamp their stakes schedule, including moving its two [...]
Derby dreams gallop in horse-owning brothers’ heads–by Tim Sullivan, Union-Tribune Columnist
Bill Strauss arrived for his staff meeting Monday morning to find a mint julep stationed at his seat. Independently, Strauss’ brother Jeff received a gift basket containing the same cocktail’s key components: bourbon and mint. This was neither a coincidence nor a conspiracy, but sure symptoms that Kentucky Derby Fever has again infiltrated San Diego County. The Strauss [...]
Del Mar to ask to drop Monday racing–by Jeff Nahill, North County Times
The years of the six-day racing week at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club apparently will come to an end. Del Mar is in the process of asking authorities to go to a five-day race week and drop Monday racing, said track president Joe Harper on Friday. “We’re worried we won’t be able to fill a race card [...]
The Grand National–by guest blogger Jeremy Collins
Taking place in early April at Aintree Race course in Liverpool, England, The Grand National has firmly established itself as the greatest horse race on earth. The unique mix of a gruellingly long course and heart-cluthingly high ‘fences’ together with so much tradition and legend make the race an absolute must on the sporting calender. Since [...]
Summit Racing LLC
In lieu of anything semi-meaningful to write about, below is a shameless plug for my new venture, Summit Racing LLC. I’ve been putting most of my time and effort into this, so there has been very little time to keep up on the blog. I promise a recap after the Turf Festival at Hollywood Park [...]
Zenyatta–Top of the World
One theory has it that The Police’s 1980 album Zenyatta Mondatta came from the words Zenith and Monde (French for “World”), meaning Top of the World. Another says the translation came from Sanskrit, also meaning Top of the World. Whatever the case, after watching the thoroughbred version of Zenyatta win the Ladies Classic on Breeders’ [...]