Justify retired

[Ruffian1]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Cosell was on ABC's Derby and Preakness telecasts for 10 years. Andy Beyer used to routinely complain about him not knowing anything.

Cosell did the ABC roving reporter on the ground stuff in 1977. He came into the paddock at Pimlico the day of the Preakness while I am saddling my horse and waiting for Shoemaker so I could tell him about my horse who he was going to ride and started interviewing him about the Preakness. Then I hear riders up. Hardly got to say anything to Shoe. He tried to apologize for Cosell. It was something like "he doesn't know what the hell he's doing".

I was only 21 so I just watched it happen and didn't say what I was thinking.

What an pushy arrogant jerk Cosell was.

[Delta Cone]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

Have to plug my home track a little (even though I live across the border in Texas)...

After winning the $350,000 Belmont Stakes, Creme Fraiche traveled to Louisiana Downs three months later and won the $500,000 Super Derby with Eddie Maple up. The next four successive winners were Wise Times, Alysheba, Seeking the Gold, and Sunday Silence. The Super Derby increased the purse to $1 million in 1987. I could be wrong but I think that was the first graded stakes to offer a $1 million purse.

I thought that was the Arlington Million, first run in 1981.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

How much money were the Hills and Taylors risking when they raced Slew at 4 after he suffered far worse injuries than Justify's filling?

I don't agree with you about anyone with a brain. How about someone who wants to win more races? Heck, Zayat at least took a tiny risk by keeping AP in training, but he wanted to see him run again and wanted to win the BC Classic.

Racing is the point of the sport. Nobody pays admission to watch horses make love. So there are lots of perfectly smart reasons to keep running.

Zayat was taking zero risk. He'd already sold the horse's breeding rights so it was actually to his benefit given he got to pocket any purse earnings to keep him racing.

But otherwise I agree with you. The only risk anyone takes with a horse of stature is that the horse could lose it's "hotness." This horse is already worth $50m or so. What's the worst that could happen? He cools down with a loss or two and becomes worth $40m? So these owners aren't actually risking $50m or such, but instead they're betting whether the horse stays even or gets even hotter, or if he cools down. When they pull the plug so easily, then we can assume that they're betting he cools down.

[Mulerider]

Originally Posted by Delta Cone

I thought that was the Arlington Million, first run in 1981.

Thanks. You're absolutely right. Maybe the Super Derby was the first million dollar dirt stakes? I'll have to research that.

[devilsbag]

The Arlington Million was the first million dollar thoroughbred race in the United States, but did not receive Grade I status until 1983.

When the Breeders' Cup began in 1984, the graded stakes committee did not enforce the same delay and assigned Grade I status to all seven of the inaugural races, each with a purse of $1 million or more.

Thus a number of Grade I million dollar races had been run on both surfaces long before the Super Derby boosted its purse to $1 million in 1987.

[devilsbag]

From the New York Times recap of the 1983 Kentucky Derby coverage:

Given the working conditions, it would be difficult, otherwise, to nitpick about the coverage. McKay, Jack Whitaker, Howard Cosell and Bill Hartack were damp but poised throughout. McKay, at one point, demonstrated the wind velocity by extending his umbrella, which was promptly blown inside out. Cosell, perhaps feeling vulnerable, told the audience he was concentrating on holding down his hairpiece. Hartack, a former jockey, stood alongside Cosell, trying to shelter both with a golf umbrella. Hartack picked the winner, Sunny's Halo, which may have been a stroke of luck but only adds to the reputation of an analyst.

Howard Cosell's network appearances were were becoming fewer and far between around this time, but he was a staple on ABC's Triple Crown coverage for a number of years. He had an incredible career and some very famous moments. If some of you kids want to take a look back, start here:

YouTube

[bobphilo]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Sure, but Spend a Buck's Derby was incredibly fast and was visually impressive- he got clear by 6 or 7 on the backstretch.

I remember Spend A Buck's Derby and it was indeed impressive. However, it takes nothing away from from Justify's tremendous Derby performance where he contested a hot pace on a tiring swamp like track that destroyed everyone else that tried to stay with it except for him while he maintained his lead throughout the stretch. Both were great performances.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

Have to plug my home track a little (even though I live across the border in Texas)...

After winning the $350,000 Belmont Stakes, Creme Fraiche traveled to Louisiana Downs three months later and won the $500,000 Super Derby with Eddie Maple up. The next four successive winners were Wise Times, Alysheba, Seeking the Gold, and Sunday Silence. The Super Derby increased the purse to $1 million in 1987. I could be wrong but I think that was the first graded stakes to offer a $1 million purse.

The Arlington Million, 1981.

The All American Futurity got there even earlier if you count quarter horses.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by devilsbag

From the New York Times recap of the 1983 Kentucky Derby coverage:

Howard Cosell's network appearances were were becoming fewer and far between around this time, but he was a staple on ABC's Triple Crown coverage for a number of years. He had an incredible career and some very famous moments. If some of you kids want to take a look back, start here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UKx4FVjHPw

That's incredibly charitable.

He could be wonderful on boxing- his bombast fit a bombastic sport. "Down goes Frazier!"

But he really didn't know diddley about racing, and others at ABC, especially McKay and Michaels, were big racing fans.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

The Arlington Million, 1981.

The All American Futurity got there even earlier if you count quarter horses.

Back in those days the condition book listed the purse of the All American as $10,000 added.

LOTS of added $$$

[RunForTheRoses]

Originally Posted by cj

I just started getting into racing during the early 80s, probably 83 or so. I remember Spend A Buck well. I didn't remember Cosell doing racing at all.

This was the year I really got in to horse racing. Jim, Howard and Arcaro

YouTube

[RunForTheRoses]

Originally Posted by devilsbag

From the New York Times recap of the 1983 Kentucky Derby coverage:

Howard Cosell's network appearances were were becoming fewer and far between around this time, but he was a staple on ABC's Triple Crown coverage for a number of years. He had an incredible career and some very famous moments. If some of you kids want to take a look back, start here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UKx4FVjHPw

Great post, great race, mean ole Angel.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by bobphilo

I remember Spend A Buck's Derby and it was indeed impressive. However, it takes nothing away from from Justify's tremendous Derby performance where he contested a hot pace on a tiring swamp like track that destroyed everyone else that tried to stay with it except for him while he maintained his lead throughout the stretch. Both were great performances.

The Spend A Buck controversy changed the face of the Triple Crown forever. He was alive for a $2,000,000 bonus for winning the Cherry Hill Mile, Garden State Stakes, Kentucky Derby and New Jersey Derby.

When Dennis Diaz and Cam Gambolati decided to skip the Preakness Chick Lang who ran Pimlico went ballistic.

He called Bob Brennan who was running Garden State Park a "Snake Oil Salesman"

Not surprisingly the next year was the first year of the Visa $5,000,000 Triple Crown bonus.

I was the back up announcer to Ralph Siraco that season at GSP.

We opened the meet before the facility was completely ready. That made for a terrifying situation for me.

ESPN had brought Dave Johnson in to call the race. Ralph was going to be part of the broadcast team stationed in the paddock. The plan was to have Dave call the race both on track and for ESPN.

Turns out they couldn't get the ESPN wiring all the way to the announcers booth on the 7th floor. They came up with a plan to get the wiring to the ledge near the photo finish camera and then use a wireless for the on track sound.

Steve Nagler who was the Director of Publicity sent me down to try the hookup a couple of times. I called the 4th and 7th races as a test. The Jersey Derby was the 11th I think. Everything went fine for both dry runs.

Fast forward to about 10 minutes to the big race. The plan was for me to introduce the field in the post parade as well as say 5 minutes, 3 minutes and they're approaching the gate 1 minute. Then Dave would come on for the final horses to load and make the call.

When the field got to the gate and started to load the phone rang. It was Nagler who said " Dave's mic is dead. When the field breaks wait a couple of seconds. If you don't hear anything. Turn on your mic and call the race"

What? I hadn't even memorized the silks!

Needless to say I was very happy and VERY relieved when Dave said " And they're off" for the whole world to hear.

That might have ended my career before it ever got started.

Another interesting note about that race was although Angel Cordero rode Spend A Buck to win the Derby he couldn't ride him that day. So they flew Laffit in to ride him.

Greatest finish by a jock that I've ever seen. He literally picked that horse up and MADE him win. It was against a darn good field too. I Am The Game was in there as was Creme Fraiche who won the Belmont. And Skip Trial.

When you watch the race listen to the long delay between the TV feed and the speakers in the infield. That was a testament to what a consummate pro Dave Johnson was. Is. As if he needed any other distractions besides standing outside on a ledge that wasn't designed for people.

Great job Dave!

YouTube

[bobphilo]

Originally Posted by RunForTheRoses

This was the year I really got in to horse racing. Jim, Howard and Arcaro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZWw7_u3RGk

I remember that race fondly. I had her in the Derby. She would have won the Preakness if dirty Cordero hadn't whipped her in the face when she was going to pass him on Codex. He should have been DQed.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

When they pull the plug so easily, then we can assume that they're betting he cools down.

Or he's actually injured.