Headless Horsemen & The Training Game
Saratoga is winding down and, in my mind, summer has transformed into autumn, in part because of unseasonably cool weather we've had in Memphis. Over the summer I gave away most of the money I won in the first half of the year to horseplayers at Saratoga, Delaware, Monmouth, and Philadelphia. It was a slow, but constant bleed. I'm back in the grove of teaching with an course overload and a new prep (Managerial Economics). Fun.
While somewhat fresh in my mind let me review for you some of the lowlights of my summer reading.
I just finished reading Jim Squires' new book Headless Horsemen: A Tale of Chemical Colts, Subprime Sales Agents, and the Last Kentucky Derby on Steriods. The book is a confusing jumbled rant written by an angry self-important breeder who, despite all of the success he's achieved with his small-time operation, feels abused. When he didn't receive bids in excess of $250k for Monarchos' full sister, it was because of back room deals (the filly made only one start and was sold three years later as a broodmare prospect for $290k - the buyers, not Squires, were the big losers). When his horses didn't meet their reserve prices, it was because of the stupidity of buyers scared off by "goddamn OCDs" or small shadows on an x-ray. He applauds those who push for increased transparency but then complains about $500 for x-rays for the repository as yearling sales. He takes a stance against drugs in racing and depicts Larry Jones as a saintly cowboy despite his use of Clenbuterol (just not within 96 hours of a race). Perhaps confused by his rage, Squires jumbles important dates like Monarchos' appearance in the sales ring at Saratoga (multiple times given as '96). There is little doubt in my mind that this book was hastily put together to make a quick buck to make up for recent lackluster yearling sales. The result is part angry screed and part mean spirited gossip. Squires might have a few good ideas for the sport but I couldn't figure out what they were and his book did little to convince me of anything but the fact that he is an ass.
The Training Game by Karen Johnson (daughter of Hall of Famer P.G. Johnson) claims to "pull back the curtain on the biggest and most successful training operations in racing today, revealing the stories and methods of the conditioners who coax greatness from unschooled and unproven young racehorses." The eight trainers profiled are Steve Asmussen , Rick Dutrow, Bobby Frankel, Neil Howard, Allen Jerkins, Carl Nafzger, Todd Pletcher, and Nick Zito. Unfortunately, the book had nothing insightful to say whatsoever about each trainer's methods. Instead their career was profiled with extended discussions of the major stakes winners and big wins. Absolutely nothing about training regimen, supplements (Gastroguard?), legal drugs administered (Clenbuterol?), the role of the vets, farriers, assistant trainers, grooms, workouts, etc. Instead it was filler - 8 pages, for example, of Street Sense's career with commentary from Carl Nafzger (no exciting or even new insights). The chapter on Todd Pletcher was the best with a discussion of workouts and the differences between training turf and dirt horses (2 pages). I'm still looking for the part of the book where "each trainer candidly reveals their systems and techniques."
Side note - I found Carl Nafzger's quote on page 141 of interest
Nowadays, it's run, run, run. We run from one meet to the next. Six days a week. Hammer, hammer. Big fields, I pointed out to one track-management person that tracks want 10 horses per field for the gamblers. I said, 'Let's take 10 races, 10 horses, that's a hundred , six days of racing, and you got 600 horses. Your barn holds 1,500 horses, so that means every horse has to run every two weeks.' Mathematically, it doesn't work
Expecting a horse to race every two weeks!?! How inhumane. You tell'em Carl.
Nafzger then goes on to exclaim that "We have to get back to the horse." Jim Squires said the same thing in his book - his last chapter was titled "All About the Horses."
What the hell does that mean?
Nafzger goes on to say, "We all turn the horse into a vehicle of economics." Huh?
While somewhat fresh in my mind let me review for you some of the lowlights of my summer reading.
I just finished reading Jim Squires' new book Headless Horsemen: A Tale of Chemical Colts, Subprime Sales Agents, and the Last Kentucky Derby on Steriods. The book is a confusing jumbled rant written by an angry self-important breeder who, despite all of the success he's achieved with his small-time operation, feels abused. When he didn't receive bids in excess of $250k for Monarchos' full sister, it was because of back room deals (the filly made only one start and was sold three years later as a broodmare prospect for $290k - the buyers, not Squires, were the big losers). When his horses didn't meet their reserve prices, it was because of the stupidity of buyers scared off by "goddamn OCDs" or small shadows on an x-ray. He applauds those who push for increased transparency but then complains about $500 for x-rays for the repository as yearling sales. He takes a stance against drugs in racing and depicts Larry Jones as a saintly cowboy despite his use of Clenbuterol (just not within 96 hours of a race). Perhaps confused by his rage, Squires jumbles important dates like Monarchos' appearance in the sales ring at Saratoga (multiple times given as '96). There is little doubt in my mind that this book was hastily put together to make a quick buck to make up for recent lackluster yearling sales. The result is part angry screed and part mean spirited gossip. Squires might have a few good ideas for the sport but I couldn't figure out what they were and his book did little to convince me of anything but the fact that he is an ass. The Training Game by Karen Johnson (daughter of Hall of Famer P.G. Johnson) claims to "pull back the curtain on the biggest and most successful training operations in racing today, revealing the stories and methods of the conditioners who coax greatness from unschooled and unproven young racehorses." The eight trainers profiled are Steve Asmussen , Rick Dutrow, Bobby Frankel, Neil Howard, Allen Jerkins, Carl Nafzger, Todd Pletcher, and Nick Zito. Unfortunately, the book had nothing insightful to say whatsoever about each trainer's methods. Instead their career was profiled with extended discussions of the major stakes winners and big wins. Absolutely nothing about training regimen, supplements (Gastroguard?), legal drugs administered (Clenbuterol?), the role of the vets, farriers, assistant trainers, grooms, workouts, etc. Instead it was filler - 8 pages, for example, of Street Sense's career with commentary from Carl Nafzger (no exciting or even new insights). The chapter on Todd Pletcher was the best with a discussion of workouts and the differences between training turf and dirt horses (2 pages). I'm still looking for the part of the book where "each trainer candidly reveals their systems and techniques." Side note - I found Carl Nafzger's quote on page 141 of interest
Nowadays, it's run, run, run. We run from one meet to the next. Six days a week. Hammer, hammer. Big fields, I pointed out to one track-management person that tracks want 10 horses per field for the gamblers. I said, 'Let's take 10 races, 10 horses, that's a hundred , six days of racing, and you got 600 horses. Your barn holds 1,500 horses, so that means every horse has to run every two weeks.' Mathematically, it doesn't work
Expecting a horse to race every two weeks!?! How inhumane. You tell'em Carl.
Nafzger then goes on to exclaim that "We have to get back to the horse." Jim Squires said the same thing in his book - his last chapter was titled "All About the Horses."
What the hell does that mean?
Nafzger goes on to say, "We all turn the horse into a vehicle of economics." Huh?
Let us know when you find that good book on training... It seems good horse racing books are rare.
You've probably read them but I recently read Seabiscuit (Hillenbrand) and Man-O-War (Ours), both were fun and quick.
Just finished A World Lit Only by Fire (Manchester) - I really enjoyed this take on the Middle Ages and the Church - Although, sadly, no horse racing to be found.
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