Forum Replies Created
- Posts
Quote: from Lincoln Duncan on 9:00 am on Nov. 28, 2006[br]actually, the Baze-Ricardo gap may be more like 30-40, now I think about it
Ricardo will probably demand a reccount! He’s younger than Baze-is that right?-i’ve seen 2 different ages for him.
Is he riding less now, but better horses, now he’s gone to Argentina? I think I read that he’s 1 year into a 3 year contract riding there.
Quote: from wit on 9:54 am on Nov. 23, 2006[br]thanks for that.
not a writer i’d come across but sounds interesting:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br>Chicago-based perfumer Vic Zast has been a participant in the sport of the Thoroughbred — as an owner, breeder, innovator, observer, and fan — for more than 45 years.
As an owner-breeder, Vic campaigned champion Illinois 3-year-old filly Comforts of Home, stakes winner Dash of Salt, and multiple race winners Comforts Abound and Prognosticator.
His many contributions to the game of racing include pioneering the field of television syndication of racing programs, creating the Jim Beam Stakes, and initiating the concept of bonus purse money with the advent of the Bluegrass Triple Crown in 1981.
Vic’s adventures in racing also include publishing the first official Breeders’ Cup Souvenir Magazine among a variety of related periodicals devoted to racing events around the nation, presiding over a network of pari-mutuel facilities, and serving as president and board member of several racing facilities. ÂÂÂ
Zast began freelance turf writing in 1998…<br><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
http://www.bloodhorse.com/talkinhorses/VZ082306.asp
<br>succinct advice to an aspirant freelancer:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If there is a good course being offered near you called "Introduction to Freelance Writing," I’d take it.
You must first teach yourself how to write articles that publishers want and that fit their publications.
Most courses that help you get to this point, also teach you how to write letters of inquiry and place pieces in the right publications.
Freelance writing on a full-time basis is a very difficult job. The pay is paltry and rejection comes with many inquiries.
But, if you write in a style that others don’t have, and you have something relevant to say, you can make it.
My advice is to develop a tough skin. Write only what you think you should. Write it without compromise to your beliefs.
And be different. The reporters who give you the picks and the results are a dime a dozen.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br>Redwood City, CA <br>Are you always as happy as you look in your photos?
Zast <br>I smile when someone with a camera orders me to "Say Cheese.â€ÂÂ
The good news is that the excellent American turf writer Vic Zast is making his 1st visit to the Japan Cup-so there will be some high standard amusing articles appearing either on the Blood Horse or MSNBC.
The last 2 books produced by Eclipse winning photographer Barbara Livingston- Old Friends and Saratoga.
Not only is she the best photographer in the business but it’s turned out that she’s a damn good writer to boot.
In the US J. Larry Jones. Took a gamble this year moving his string during the spring/summer months from Prairie Meadows/Ellis Park to Delaware Park-which is the most perfect location to strike at all the East coast tracks from Saratoga down to Colonial Downs.
Over the past 2 years he’s probably become the best American trainer for fillies-nearly all on the dirt.
Laura Hillenbrand wrote Seabiscuit. Other great reads "Secretariat" by the legendary sports journalist Bill Nack and there was a super book which I think was called "A fine place to daydream" written by an American writer who moved to Ireland and followed the jumps scene.
Recently retired American jumps jockey Sean Clancy is a superb writer-his "Saratoga Days" is a superb book and his daily columns in the Saratoga Special newspaper are a joy to read.
Enjoyed Chris Pitt’s "A Long Time Gone" as well and the good news I believe is that it’s coming out in paperback fairly soon.
Of course there’s one thing that none of us "oldies" can tell and that’s what we’d have been like how ever many years ago, if the internet had been around, and a chance to do what Jackane did last week arose-we’d have all taken that chance and probably posted about it in a fairly similar way.
If my 2002 adventures in Dubai had happened when I was 18 or even 21 and not when I was 38-there’s no doubt i’d have posted about it on somewhere like here.
I have to say never have the words "careless talk costs lives" or "keep a low profile" seemed so apt….
Did I tell you about my time at the 2002 World Cup :biggrin:
<br>
With the exception of last years Breeders’ Cup and Belmont Stakes day for the last past 3 years-racing from the NYRA tracks hasn’t been shown here live since the early part of 2004.
I meant to ask Charlie Hayward NYRA’s CEO exactly why this was at a preview evening for this years Saratoga meet-but somehow asked some other question instead. Anyway NYRA’s licence to run US racing is up and we’re in the early stages of the retendering process. So write to the prospective bidders suggesting that they show their racing to the UK if they win the franchise that starts on January 1st 2008.
There are ways online-one has already been suggested-to watch the racin in the US that isn’t covered on the 2 channels-they include putting a deposit, for beting purposes, into winticketcom or signing up to racereplays.com. On winticket not oly can you watch live but you can watch replays of any horse you want to see.
I think there’s a big misconception on this thread about what life is like for American racing fans who perhaps rely on TV to see the sport. Distances are big are many Americans are over 500 miles from the nearest major track. The networks carry the sport but they don’t have the luxury of having Channel 4 racing-McCririck and all his foibles included-with a 2 hour ring fenced show. They have to check the schedule and if the game that precedes the racing goes into overtime-the build-up to the big race gets cut and ever now and again it ends up being shown on Tape Delay.
They do have the satellite channel TVG and it is showing more international racing each year but again large areas of the country can’t get the channel becuse it’s not part of the local cable providers package.
I’m used to the betting systems here. Bookmakers making a legal return to the US, exchanges etc would have the impact that on course attendances over there would be destroyed at al but the marquee meetings such as Saratoga, Del Mar and Keeneland. Around 17,000 were at Belmont yesterday paying $3 and $5-what would the price be if you had 5 Group 1s here on a card a Ascot? $30 and $50. About £18 and £28-probably more. If you charged that there youd probably get under 2000 people attending.
Quote: from davidbrady on 4:56 pm on Oct. 5, 2006[br]What (approx) price did DI start at then . He paid 1.40 for the place which is incredible if he was 1.50 for the win, as suggested in an earlier post.<br>
You’re betting blind if you bet to place or a cheval-each way-as the place price is never shown on the screens in France.
The Japanese obviously lumped on in an all or nothing style.
Quote: from Mr Frisk on 3:44 pm on Oct. 4, 2006[br]I’m pretty sure that the pools weren’t co-mingled ie. you had to be there, or at any rate in France, to bet into them.
The money in the PMU was simply what everyone had brought with them from Japan, for themselves, family, friends, colleagues etc.
Of course it seems odd that anyone should queue up to back a horse at such a short price when  bookies are offering 9-4 against, but the Tote system is all that Japanese punters know. The fact that the JRA had produced a handout explaining how to bet on the PMU probably helped too.
Another interesting point was that they were betting win only – the place return on Deep Impact was only marginally shorter than he would have paid for a win.
The Post piece was the first mention of the likely effects in that paper, incidentally, but far from the first anywhere.
You may well be right but isn’t the price on the screens at the track that says PMU-the price that each horse was at the time with only PMU shop money and the PMU+H is the price that each horse is currently.
I believe Deep Impact was 1-10 when the windows on the track opened-i’m sure there’s no way that any Japanese racegoers braved the PMU bars in the morning!
Quote: from Brevityy on 3:30 pm on Oct. 4, 2006[br]There was an article predicting as much in the Post on Sunday morning.
Thanks as I never saw the Racing Post as by the time we got to Longchamp there were no posts and more unbelievably no racecards left.
I was watching the QEII on the BBC last Saturday and I swear that it was mentioned that for the 1st time Japanese punters would be able to bet direct into the PMU pool-I believe they couldn’t when El Condor Pasa came 2nd in 1999.
I thought to myself that this meant that he was certain to be sent off favourite for the race. When the declarations came out and it was correctly decided that the Arc didn’t have enough runners for it to be designated the Tierce race for Sunday-I think for only the 2nd or 3rd time in the last 25 years-I knew that he would be odds-on and actually thought he might well go off at 1-5 or even 1-10 as virtually all the local money would be pumped into the 2nd race and the not the Arc and the PMU would be flooded by money from Japan for DI.
I’m told that "Statto" advised the TV audience on Sunday but did anyone write about it in advance as a possibility-even though it was an absolute certainty.
At what time during the afternoon did the bookamking firms realize what was happening? At the stage when shortly after the gates had opened there were no race cards left and 2 30 yard lines of Japanese bettors queueing to bet with Japanese speaking PMU operatives?
At the PMU witching hour-which I think is 1315-when he was 1-10 or only at the time when the prices flashed onto the screens with about 35 mins to go and he was still 1-10?
Quote: from GreenGreenDesert on 3:19 pm on Sep. 3, 2006[br]True but it would allow a great showcase. I am a big supporter of mixed meetings anyway as they have in Ireland.
Jamey….the purses sound quite high to us! our point to point scene has purses of only $300 !
Is any US jumps racing televised? How about general press coverage? I was stunned that the death of one of our top jumps trainers was reported in the US press a fair bit online.
Are there ine or two big sponsor there who really supports jumps racing? If so who?<br>
<br>I don’t think that the TV networks want any more races to the Breeders’ Cup day-it’s a miracle that they show the 8 races-if another was added you would probably only end up with a 2 hour show which would be delayed because the College Tiddylwinks game went into extra time.
To be honest I wouldn’t want the Breeders’ Cup Chase wasted on Breeders’ Cup day. I went to it last year and despite it being an absolutely miserable day weather wise a massive crowd turned out-paying $50 in advance and $100 on the day-4 times as many who paid $3 and $5 to go State Bred day at Belmont that afternoon.
Besides the psyche of modern day American racing fans can’t take seeing even the softest falls.
Quote: from PAULCS on 10:49 pm on Sep. 2, 2006[br]<br>I’m sure I heard that the Breeders Cup Steeplechase is going to be included on the main Breeders Cup night for the first time this year – anyone know if this is true?<br>
No it’s again to be held at Far Hills the Saturday before the Breeders’ Cup.
I don’t believe it should be held on Breeders’ Cup day. It’s a hell of an effort for everyone to ship in for just 1 race. Saratoga this year being a case in point. Only 1 race a week-every Thursday. If the jockeys weren’t employed up there during the meet-as an example Robert Massey I think was with Godolphin-then they had to ride work at home on Wednesday-drive up to Saratoga arriving on Wednesday evening. Ride the 1st race and then turn for home to be back riding work early in the morning on Friday.
Well it made the Local News in upstate New York! So thousands of Americans now think that British based jockeys are worthless scum.
