Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

U.S. BEEZIE MADDEN & AUTHENTIC CAPTURE BRONZE
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In the individual rider's competition last night, American rider Beezie Madden and Authentic took the bronze home. Eric Lamaze and Hickstead, of Canada, finished for gold, and Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Ninja, from Sweden, finished for the silver. Hickstead jumped clear, his 11th time of doing so in the Olympic games. The other three U.S. riders made faults and did not do so well.

Congratulations to all riders! ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

PYRO MORNING LINE FAVORITE FOR TRAVERS
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As Big Brown will not be entered in the Travers Stakes this Saturday, Pyro becomes the morning-line favorite for the 1 1/4 mile stakes race. He is at odds of 7-2, and will be raced under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, and in the 11th post position of the 12-horse race.

Harlem Rocker, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Eibar Coa, in the number 8 post position, is second choice at 4-1.

A surprise entry came from the Allen Jerkins trained Tizbig. He raced a few days ago at Saratoga August 17.

For IEAH stables, owner of Big Brown, Court Vision and jockey Kent Desmoreaux find the 12th post position. Court Vision was entered instead of the expected runner, Acai.

Look at the right side of this website for entry information and post time. ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

USA'S TEAM SHOW JUMPING WINS THE GOLD

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On August 18 (Monday), 2008, the USA show jumping team won the Olympic Gold, with Canada finishing for Silver.

In round one, America tied for first with Switzerland. Canada finished in fourth, after one of their team's horses, Ole, was injured. In the main round, they had two cleared rides and a ride with four faults. However, the time in the first two rides put them on the board.

In the first round, Laura Kraut and Cedric were the only team to go clear over the jumps. They repeated this in the Finals the next day. McClain Ward and Sapphire had four faults, Will Simpson and Carlsson vam Dach had eight, and Beezie Madden on Authentic had four. The Americans still captured the gold. Germany, the heavily favored team, finished fifth.

Now, this Thursday, the top 35 riders will be chosen and will go against each other to try and win the individual rider's gold medal. ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

GENUINE RISK'S DEATH

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On the morning of August 18, 2008, chestnut filly by Exclusive Native, Genuine Risk, passed away. She was 31 years old.

Genuine Risk had been only the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby, in 1980. In 1978, she was bought as a yearling in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky summer yearling sale for $32,000. She was trained by LeRoy Jolley, and under jockey Jacinto Vasquez (who also rode Ruffian four years before) she won her first race as a two-year-old. She won three more, including the Tempted and Demoiselle Stakes. She then had her first taste of defeat, finishing third in the Wood Memorial against top colts. This finish lead her trainer to believe she could try out for the Derby, and try out she did.

In 1980, at age three, 12 colts ate Genuine Risk's dust in the Kentucky Derby.

The filly was second in the Preakness Stakes to Codex and second in the muddy Belmont Stakes to Temperance Hill. Despite this, she became the closest filly to winning a Triple Crown in history.

Genuine Risk finished her three-year-old season with a nose win in the Ruffian Stakes, over Misty Gallore.

At four, Genuine Risk raced only three times before she was retired due to an injury. She was disappointing as a broodmare, having been bred all the way up to 2001, but only producing two foals, Genuine Reward and Count Our Blessing. Neither colt raced.

Genuine Risk became the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner after the 1979 winner, Spectacular Bid, died. She then died only a few months after Winning Colors, the third filly to win the Kentucky Derby, died.

Genuine Risk was elected into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1986. She will always be remembered.

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

SPIRIT ONE WINS THE 2008 ARLINGTON MILLION

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Spirit One (Anabaa Blue--Lavayssiere (dam) by Sicyos) won the Arlington Million this year at Arlington Park. The horse is from France, and was ridden by jockey Ioritz Mendizabal.

The colt started out in the lead, taking it quite easy and going a quarter in 24.66. The pacesetter, Sudan, was scratched.

The jockey aboard Spirit One was a young, inexperienced lad. However, he made it around the two turns of the one and a quarter mile turf race, and charged down the homestretch, still clutching the lead. He had been given instructions to simply ride his race.

Jockey John Murtagh on Mount Nelson edged his horse up, encouraging him to increase in speed and win. The horse quickly tired and gave out. The 6-5 favorite, Archipenko, ridden by Kevin Shea, was trapped in between the rail and Mount Nelson. When Mount Nelson finally tired and slowed, he opened a gap for Archipenko to go through for a win. Unfortunately, there was not enough ground left, and Spirit One was too far ahead. Spirit One finished 3/4 of a length ahead of Archipenko. The fractions were 24.66 for the quarter, 48.57 for the half, 1:12.40 for the three quarter, and 1:37.40 for the mile. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:02.17, rather slow time even on turf.

When asked if he would race his colt in the Breeder's Cup Turf, Philippe Demercastel, Spirit One's trainer, replied, "Why not? We'll take him home, give him time off and definitely come back to the U.S. for racing. I've been tempted for awhile, especially with this horse, to try American racing." He said that, in winning this race, they were getting their revenge on Mount Nelson, who had beat them in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud, 2006.

Jockey Kevin Shea, riding Archipenko, was angered at John Murtagh for blocking him on the rail. Murtagh had seen he could not win, but would not let them through. If they had gotten through earlier, they might have won. Shea also said that he would've been alright with Murtagh winning if he knew the jockey and horse could.

Murtagh simply repsonded that "You can't win them all." ~Cassidy Deardorff

Photo of the Week

Video of the Week--Big Brown's Haskell Win

Big Brown wins the Haskell Invitational. He is number four, and starts out in the lead.

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

BREEDER'S CUP AGAINST ANABOLIC STEROIDS

The Breeder's Cup has banned Anabolic Steroids this year.

Used on Thoroughbred racehorses to help them win, it is a chemical that may prove to provide problems with health. It is time for racing to ban them altogether, and the Breeder's Cup Associates have been the first to do so. All horses will be tested before the race, and if they are found with the steroids, their trainer will be banned from the race for a year. The winner, place, show, and one random horse out of the finished race will tested, and if any are found guilty, the trainer will be banned from the race for a year. If a trainer violates this rule three times, he will be banned from the race forever.

January 1st of 2009 will also begin the ban for anabolic steroids in all Breeder's Cup related races. Any racetrack that sponsors the Breeder's Cup or Win and You're In races must have anabolic steroids banned, or their offer will be turned down.

Hopefully, this ban will help Thoroughbred racing to become a powerful sport again with powerful horses, as it was in the old days. ~Cassidy Deardorff