Pletcher's first derby win, and he watched it on television.

[Stillriledup]

I saw the highlights of Pletcher celebrating his first Derby win and it looked like he was in some room at Churchill watching on tv.

Would you have any regrets if you didn't actually witness your first derby win with your own eyes, especially if you were inside Churchill Downs when it happened?

You can watch the Derby replay on tv as many times as you want, but you can only see it one time live. Why not watch it live, i don't understand the logic.

[sandpit]

I saw the highlights of Pletcher celebrating his first Derby win and it looked like he was in some room at Churchill watching on tv.

Would you have any regrets if you didn't actually witness your first derby win with your own eyes, especially if you were inside Churchill Downs when it happened?

You can watch the Derby replay on tv as many times as you want, but you can only see it one time live. Why not watch it live, i don't understand the logic.

Pletcher was in the horsemen's lounge, which is right behind the paddock. Bobby Frankel used to stand in the paddock and watch the Derby on the jumboscreen right above the stalls. Michael Dickinson used to come in the claims office, the room next to the horsemen's lounge, and watch his horses run. I was in there when Da Hoss won the BC Mile.

All those spots give the trainer easy and traffic-free access to the racetrack. If you're up in the stands, it can be hard to get down to the track by the time your horse gets back to unsaddle, at least maybe that's what those guys were thinking. If it was me, I'd want to see it in person.

[joanied]

I would think the trainers could watch it live at some place where it's easy to get to the winner's circle...I would sure want to see it live...especially if you have one of the favorites.
Different strokes for different folks:)

[Stillriledup]

I would think the trainers could watch it live at some place where it's easy to get to the winner's circle...I would sure want to see it live...especially if you have one of the favorites.
Different strokes for different folks:)

I'm old school, i feel that if you are at the track live, you watch the races live with binocs. No need to watch races on tv, i can do that when i'm home.

[Hanover1]

Its strictly a matter of easy access to the circle...after watching thousands of races, they all kind of meld together mentally. Its the win you remember, not how you saw it......you may recall the trip itself, but nothing more.

[PaceAdvantage]

Did Bobby Frankel ever NOT watch the race on TV when one of his horses was running?

[lamboguy]

Did Bobby Frankel ever NOT watch the race on TV when one of his horses was running?
i sat with bobby one day in the racing office at belmont park, he won 3 straight races and never got up off the chair. rafael bejarano won all 3

[CryingForTheHorses]

Ill give you a trainers view...This guy had had 25 starters in the derby,He stayed in the trainers lounge where nobody could see him cry because he had a lot of explaining to do to all them owners that spent the big money getting there if he lost..Kind of like Surviver...Either he was a villian or a hero..This day he was a hero and he could walk out of that lounge with his fist pumped..Better then walking out with his tail between his legs..In this business you can be a hero in the first race and a piece of crap in the last...Kudos to his team!

[Valuist]

I'm old school, i feel that if you are at the track live, you watch the races live with binocs. No need to watch races on tv, i can do that when i'm home.

What about when you can see the race better on the track feed than your binocs?

[Stillriledup]

What about when you can see the race better on the track feed than your binocs?

You can see the gallopouts and you can see the horses coming back to be unsaddled live and you can't see that on tv. I've made money by seeing horses come back 'off' to be unsaddled, made a note of it and capitalized next time. You always have time to go inside and watch the replay right after you make your 'live' notes.

Also, i'm talking about the actual Ky Derby. You can watch any other race on tv, this is not any other race.

[Linny]

At the Derby, there are so many people between you and your horse, even if you have great seats, that you will miss most of the gallop out etc. In TAP's case, he's got several to watch, so he can't see it all. By the time he got them all sent on their way, watching in the lounge was probably easiest. Also, I'm sure his various owners may have offered him a seat, but it was easier for him to decline them all rather than showing favoritism. When TAP has more than 2 owners in one race, he usually does watch the race by himself.

As a fan or bettor I like to watch "live" when I get to actualy attend the races, but remember, Todd (and other trainers) are at the track every day.

Jerkens is another who often watches races from the Racing Office at Belmont. I was in there one day when a horse of his was beaten less than a length in a small stake. The Chief went crazy, swearing and kicking trash cans. He was between me and the door, or I'd have been outta there! I have since learned the back way out of that room.

[joanied]

At the Derby, there are so many people between you and your horse, even if you have great seats, that you will miss most of the gallop out etc. In TAP's case, he's got several to watch, so he can't see it all. By the time he got them all sent on their way, watching in the lounge was probably easiest. Also, I'm sure his various owners may have offered him a seat, but it was easier for him to decline them all rather than showing favoritism. When TAP has more than 2 owners in one race, he usually does watch the race by himself.

As a fan or bettor I like to watch "live" when I get to actualy attend the races, but remember, Todd (and other trainers) are at the track every day.

Jerkens is another who often watches races from the Racing Office at Belmont. I was in there one day when a horse of his was beaten less than a length in a small stake. The Chief went crazy, swearing and kicking trash cans. He was between me and the door, or I'd have been outta there! I have since learned the back way out of that room.

In all the years I worked at Belmont I never once saw Mr. Jerkin's loose his temper...must be getting grumpy in his old age...that must have looked pretty funny :D !!!

[the little guy]

Jerkens is another who often watches races from the Racing Office at Belmont. I was in there one day when a horse of his was beaten less than a length in a small stake. The Chief went crazy, swearing and kicking trash cans. He was between me and the door, or I'd have been outta there! I have since learned the back way out of that room.


Certainly Allen Jerkens deserves a LOT better than this.

Last I knew, the Racing Office was not a public area at a racetrack.

[Linny]

The Chief was mad because his rider gave him a bad ride. If I recall, it was a horse that he had been using one of his "house guys" on, one of the little known riders he liked to use. For this race he used a big name guy and the guy ran his horse into a very bad spot. I'm sure he was mad about that.
He was not screaming or carrying on, but as I watched him smack his program on the counter and then kick a trash can on the way out, I was glad I wasn't that rider.
I've seen far more of the best of Mr. Jerkens, including several times when he showed up back at the barn after a win with a trash bag full of cold beers for the barn staff.

Alot of trainers don't watch from seats, even in big races. In fact on big race days it's sometimes easier not to have to deal wih crowds. On Belmont day (if a TC is on the line) I see plenty of trainers/horsemen watching races on monitors in the tunnel. It's easy to get back to the track to get your horse and at Belmont, unless you are up at least on the 2nd floor, it's pretty hard to see.

[sonnyp]

Certainly Allen Jerkens deserves a LOT better than this.

Last I knew, the Racing Office was not a public area at a racetrack.

gee, i love mr. jerkins but when i was in college i spent a week under his shedrow thinking i would drop out of school and become a hotwalker.

he convinced me this was a bad idea. john ruane got beat on one of mr. jerkins mares, it may have been blessing angelica, and he kicked a water bucket the length of the barn cursing ruane.

kinda sounds like the same guy !!!

[the little guy]

The point is that someone who has access to private areas has no right to repeat in a public forum such as this what takes place there.

[Cardus]

Pletcher was in the horsemen's lounge, which is right behind the paddock. Bobby Frankel used to stand in the paddock and watch the Derby on the jumboscreen right above the stalls. Michael Dickinson used to come in the claims office, the room next to the horsemen's lounge, and watch his horses run. I was in there when Da Hoss won the BC Mile.

All those spots give the trainer easy and traffic-free access to the racetrack. If you're up in the stands, it can be hard to get down to the track by the time your horse gets back to unsaddle, at least maybe that's what those guys were thinking. If it was me, I'd want to see it in person.

Whoa! He did that before his horses ran? Was that some kind of ritual?

[sonnyp]

The point is that someone who has access to private areas has no right to repeat in a public forum such as this what takes place there.

aren't you being a little over protective ? the poster wasn't accusing the man of child molestation simply of showing some emotion.

i think most would expect nothing less from guys who compete on a very high level day in and day out.

[Cardus]

I'm old school, i feel that if you are at the track live, you watch the races live with binocs. No need to watch races on tv, i can do that when i'm home.

From a fan's perspective, I agree. I do not understand why people go to the track and watch races on the monitors.

Even when I am sitting in front of a monitor in the restaurant or in an owner's box, I always have the binocs out.

[Cardus]

aren't you being a little over protective ? the poster wasn't accusing the man of child molestation simply of showing some emotion.

i think most would expect nothing less from guys who compete on a very high level day in and day out.

I disagree.

For instance, Sandpit mentioned watching a race with Dickinson in a private area without mentioning details.

[CryingForTheHorses]

[QUOTE=the little guy]The point is that someone who has access to private areas has no right to repeat in a public forum such as this what takes place there.[/QUOTE


There are a few racing offices that are open to the public that I know of,One is here at Calder where anyone can walk in there,GP also has their office where the public can go right in,I also remember Hialeah Park where you and anyone could walk in. You are correct in your assertion as I do know you have to be on the backside to get to some racing offices..

[joanied]

I can see some sort of argument brewing here...so I'll just say that again, in all my years at Belmont, spending much time in his barn, I never saw Mr. Jerkin's loose his temper...dosen't mean he didn't...what I did see was a man of incredible energy, emotion, dedication, class, generosity and genious...and he was also pretty damned funny!
One of racings greatest individuals:ThmbUp:

[sonnyp]

I can see some sort of argument brewing here...so I'll just say that again, in all my years at Belmont, spending much time in his barn, I never saw Mr. Jerkin's loose his temper...dosen't mean he didn't...what I did see was a man of incredible energy, emotion, dedication, class, generosity and genious...and he was also pretty damned funny!
One of racings greatest individuals:ThmbUp:

agree wholeheartedly........and i can't imagine anything discussed here would change that image.....unless, of course, you subscribe to the phony, lilly white, politically correct agenda that attempts to paint a person as perfect in every way. this aint church.....its the backstretch of a racetrack.

[joanied]

agree wholeheartedly........and i can't imagine anything discussed here would change that image.....unless, of course, you subscribe to the phony, lilly white, politically correct agenda that attempts to paint a person as perfect in every way. this aint church.....its the backstretch of a racetrack.

Thanks:) ...and by the way...I don't do 'politically correct' ;)

[the little guy]

agree wholeheartedly........and i can't imagine anything discussed here would change that image.....unless, of course, you subscribe to the phony, lilly white, politically correct agenda that attempts to paint a person as perfect in every way. this aint church.....its the backstretch of a racetrack.


Nowhere was this done. The simple fact is that someone who should know better repeated an isolated incident that had no business being posted here. This is neither " phony" nor " lily white " or even a " politically correct agenda. " It is simple common courtesy.

[Stillriledup]

Nowhere was this done. The simple fact is that someone who should know better repeated an isolated incident that had no business being posted here. This is neither " phony" nor " lily white " or even a " politically correct agenda. " It is simple common courtesy.

I'm with you, i would never post stuff on the internet that i learned or saw 'in confidence'. Keeping stuff under your hat is 'old school'. Unfortunately, we're in a 'new school' society and a lot of people feel its 'ok' to just type into a message board everything they see or hear.

[Show Me the Wire]

In confidence :lol: :lol:. There is nothing wrong in writing about someone showing emotion. Even though the area may have been restricted access it is not a sancutary.

I never seen any signs in any racing office or restricted trainer/owner area stating anything seen or heard must be kept confidential.

There was and is no need to keep what one observes in a public or semi-public area confidential, unless the person's admission to the area was based on keeping confidences.

Also, I find nothing perculiar in Pletcher watching the race on a t.v. monitor.

[sonnyp]

In confidence :lol: :lol:. There is nothing wrong in writing about someone showing emotion. Even though the area may have been restricted access it is not a sancutary.

There was and is no need to keep what one observes in a public or semi-public area confidential, unless the person's admission to the area was based on keeping confidences.

this whole thing is absurd. we're talkin about a horse trainer kicking a basket !!! not a confession given in church !!!!

surely, "thou doth protest too much!!!" its just not that big a deal.

999 out of 1,000 people never heard of alan jerkins or any of the other icons on the backstretch.

[Show Me the Wire]

this whole thing is absurd. we're talkin about a horse trainer kicking a basket !!! not a confession given in church !!!!

surely, "thou doth protest too much!!!" its just not that big a deal.

999 out of 1,000 people never heard of alan jerkins or any of the other icons on the backstretch.


Absolutely!

[tzipi]

It's H. Allen Jerkens and he's a good man.

[PaceAdvantage]

Some of you need your "horse racing fan" cards pulled...

[goatchaser]

gee, i love mr. jerkins but when i was in college i spent a week under his shedrow thinking i would drop out of school and become a hotwalker.

he convinced me this was a bad idea. john ruane got beat on one of mr. jerkins mares, it may have been blessing angelica, and he kicked a water bucket the length of the barn cursing ruane.

kinda sounds like the same guy !!!
Maybe he thought you were with PETA?