ARCADIA, Calif. - What a difference 16 years makes.
In 1987, the top layer of the racing world was ruled by Wayne Lukas, Charlie Whittingham, Jack Van Berg, and Woody Stephens. They won most of the money and most of the major stakes, leaving the scraps to the other 3,000 or so men and women who called themselves Thoroughbred trainers.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The big sprint race on Sunday at Santa Anita Park is named in honor of a horse who was beaten a neck going a mile and one-half on the grass.
Come again?
The Ancient Title Handicap at six furlongs provides a final proving ground for West Coast runners with designs on the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Sometimes the parlay pays off. Kona Gold, Elmhurst and Cardmania used wins in the Ancient Title to rev up for success in the Breeders' Cup.
NEW YORK - It is no better than even money that the best 3-year-old in the country this year will be recognized as the champion of his division at year's end.
Empire Maker, who was officially retired to stud last week, deserves the Eclipse Award as the top colt of his age. Forget that he was clearly the most talented colt; he wins on performance as well as potential. He has two rivals for the honor and holds a combined 5-1 record against them: He beat Funny Cide two of the three times they met, and is 3-0 against Ten Most Wanted.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Nick Zito has always been a Champagne fan.
Long before he saddled three consecutive winners of the prestigious feature for 2-year-olds - The Groom Is Red in 1998, Greenwood Lake in 1999, and A. P. Valentine in 2000 - Zito had a high regard for the Champagne as a definitive test of class in the division.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Housebound racing fans will be showered with riches this weekend, when no fewer than 17 national and international events will be telecast on a variety of commercial networks.
Saturday, NBC will carry the Goodwood Handicap and Oak Tree Derby from Santa Anita, along with the Kelso, the Beldame, and the Frizette from Belmont Park. As a bonus, there will also be tape of last Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes from England's Ascot Race Course.
ARCADIA, Calif. - With the release of a Los Angeles Times poll Tuesday that gave one particular candidate a giddy lead in the race to replace reeling California Gov. Gray Davis, it suddenly became clear why all those trainers and owners are willing to give the Breeders' Cup Classic a wide berth later this month at Santa Anita.
It is not because of stud fees of $100,000 looming on the near horizon for those two priceless sperm banks, Mineshaft and Empire Maker.
NEW YORK - The final session of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's annual Marketing Summit last week in Las Vegas may have been a watershed for horseplayers. There, in the full view and with the rapt attention of more than 150 racetrack officials from around the country, was the overdue sight of some serious racing customers outlining their concerns and suggestions about the game.
ARCADIA, Calif. - In horse racing, as in life, there are few things more futile than the pursuit of perfection. This hard truth was hammered home again Sunday at Santa Anita Park, where the Oak Tree Racing Association opened its Breeders' Cup meet with a festival of four major stakes.
After winning the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship by a measured half-length over Johar, Storming Home should be perfect in four American starts. He is not, though, because something caught his eye near the end of the Arlington Million and sent him into a disqualifying spin.