How to be a Horseplayer Without Really Trying

I just finished a great book. Harvey Pack's May the Horse be With You is a perfect summer read for inbetween races or maybe after a long day at the track. I was lucky enough to get a preliminary copy and I'm grateful for it. Harvey doesn't outright explain why he wrote the book, but I found early a passage where Harvey laments how because of the new internet betting and OTB's, the track is less of a destination than it is a giant TV studio. Because of that the stories that were told and more importantly created at the track have slowed down, and the younger generation (as noted here), aren't showing up. Harvey's book fills that void, and then some, with the best stories of his life at the track. The stories, which jump all over the place much like Harvey's career, are about the most colorful people and the things that go on at the track. You have to figure he's been going to the track for 50 years and squeezed the best memories out of that large sample. It's hard to say there's a strong time line in the book as he jumps back and forth quite a lot. And, there are also a slew of characters that come and go. It also seems that Harvey never met a famous person he wouldn't name drop later, but that's the charm of the book, and that's the reason you'll love it. He is telling you his story, nothing more, thank god nothing less, with all the color and detail you want. Plus there's two pages ripping on Andy Beyer which had me laugh out loud. The beauty of Harvey is that while he's saying some funny things about you, you can tell he does it with affection, and I'm sure Andy even enjoyed the roast. It's co-authored by Pete Fornatale who does a great job of getting Harvey's voice across (though I'm not sure Harvey could attribute an ESPN quote directly) Pete for the most part appears to stay in the background, and lets Harvey be Harvey. The book sets itself up for fact checking, and if anyone wants to they might find a fudge here or there, but again, just enjoy one man's incredible memory. The whole book is about 180 pages and it goes by even faster, it took me about 2 nights pleasure reading. The book isn't out officially until July 25th, but you heard it here first, it's a must summer read, and well worth the price of admission.

Sorry to get all equidaily on you

Daily Racing Form: News: Sanan has learned expensive lesson I'm just reading this morning, not sure there's a full story in me today, but a few articles caught my attention. So, Andy, let me get this straight. It's "checkbook" horsemanship when a wealthy foreign Sheikh spends enormous amounts of money at the sales and at the track, but when someone spends vast amounts of money at the sales and at the tracks but then sees their mistake (also known as running out of money) that person is a "patsy", a "victim", "unlucky." Sorry Andy you've lost me, I'm done reading this crap.

Cry me a River

Andy Beyer is at it again. He hates Polytrack, waa waa waa. Ever since he went into semi-retirement his articles seem more like shock journalism than anything useful. I first pointed it out here, and his most recent entry is just the same thing refried. It boils down to the fact that Andrew Beyer sees himself as the greatest handicapper to ever set foot into a race track, and (I would bet that he) is getting his ass handed to him at Keeneland. This can't sit well with the king of all cappers, so he wants to put an excuse out there. It's the surface. Well you know what? Not everyone is having that hard a time adjusting. I know someone who hit a pretty nice pick-4 last weekend. And, maybe Mr. Harvard Graduate you might want to reconsider your betting at Keeneland. Which is more important? The fact that horses have seemed to fair better of this surface or that Andy hits a pick-3 every now and then? I would like to see the synthetic surface play a little more fair at Keeneland, and I would bet that the people in charge there are doing everything they can to ensure a fair surface, I would also say that Teuflesberg isn't the greatest stayer in the world.

Sniff Sniff

Pricci: Sheikh greedy to retire Bernardini so fast - Horse Racing - MSNBC.com: "If Sheikh Mohammed were a sportsman in the manner of the Phipps family, or a Thomas Evans or a Mary Lou Whitney, Bernardini and Henny Hughes would not have been retired 48 hours after Breeders� Cup XXIII became a part of history" I'm sorry, but all this is starting to smell a little racist to me. Off the bat, I'm a white male, so no I don't know what I'm talking about. But, every writer is coming out of the woodwork to throw the connections of Bernardini and Henny Hughes under a bus with no information whatsoever, and it's starting to piss me off. I'm pretty sure Personal Ensign, Inside Information and maybe Soaring Softly made their last starts at the BC. What horse was kept in training past the peak of his value as a stud. I dare someone to come up w/ a name.

If Jeremy Rose was riding Andy Beyer he would have been trampled

ESPN.com - HORSE/TRIPLECROWN05 - Finley: The highlight of Preakness week? I love reading all the news about Afleet Alex today; the way he fell down and got back up. However, there are a lot of sports writers out there today who fell directly on their face and should buy a medic alert asap. In the article sighted here Bill Finley tells us to skip this year's Preakness in favor of Whirlaway's replay. Thanks for the commercial Bill, but I'm glad I tuned in anyway. http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=359365&category=SPORTS&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=5/11/2005 This guy says Giacomo was unworthy. Andy Beyer pretty much berated the horse like Giacomo was on American Idol. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/19/AR2005051901560.html All of these articles make me happy inside. I only missed the second place horse. Maybe I should start making up my own numbers and sell them hmmmmm...

Daily Racing Form - Horse Racing - News Columnists

Daily Racing Form - Horse Racing - News Columnists What an a$$. "Throw out Giacomo" Well that throw out just cost him the $872 tri and a 10,362.30 super. Which weren't impossible to get. I hope now after this result Andy Beyer takes his losses like a man. Own up to when you are wrong or just pretend like it never happened. Railing against a horse who can't talk, railing against a trainer and owner who have too much class, railing against a jockey who is humbled by the sport is cowardice. I'm sure that he'll throw out Giacomo in the Belmont as well. All I can say I hope to be collecting his money. For the record here are things that I have said about Giacomo since the beginning: Futurity Giacomo: On the record: I love Holy Bull. He's a half to a stakes placed filly Sea Jewel. His works are on and off. I want to bet him so bad. Last time he came in third behind Texcess and Chips are Down who both came back to win big races. Ok, I'll play him underneath. My bet Fantasy wise I'll play Declan's Moon over Giacomo and Wilko and if I had a tri ticket I'd use Southern Africa. In the last "race of the week" I hit the exacta, and if you look at it, I had the first 4 for the Superfecta. I really believe Giacomo is on the right road, and I don't know how Proud Accolade will get back on track san felipe Giacomo – Is another one of my favorites. A son of Holy Bull has looked pretty good in every race. He has improved with every race, but he really needs to step up here and finish in the top two and prove his worth. Last time out he was very wide but fought on. The time wasn’t that impressive but the figure was still an improvement, san felipe result Popping bubbles March 9th The five horses I will not knock...yet: Afleet Alex, Sun King, Giacomo, Bandini, Roman Ruler I didn't bet Giacomo in Derby, he was one of my throwouts, but it was a tough decision to make. I can't find it on my blog for some reason, but I think he was in the second 5 I threw out. Giacomo was right there with him and forgot that he should stalk and then lead not fade

Pimlico Special

Why can't I hit the lotto? I have been playing now for 9 years and I am more than due. So, I am left to work. And, that is what I have been doing all week. Preakness weekend is here, and I think the weekends races have some great matchups. It's been only two weeks since the derby, and we've learned so much. Andy Beyer has the temperment of 5 year old who doesn't get his way. Horse racing isn't a science and horses have odds because anyone can win at any time. People who write about horse racing walk a slippery slope. Back the favorite and you look like a genius 30% of the time. The other 60% of the time blame drugs, pace, racing gods, your neighbor, or the kid that beat you up in 5th grade. Whatever excuse you can get your hands on, use it. I'll try and cover the Preakness tomorrow, but i really wanted to cover the Special. Badge of Silver - First or second in the last 5 races is good. Never ran at over 1 1/8 is bad. This race is 3rd off a layoff for him which is good. He'll be part of a pretty quick pace is bad. Ok I'll stop doing the good/bad thing. When he is lone speed he's gone, but here he'll be on the rail with about 3 horses to his outside. If you have to be anywhere in a speed dual you want the rail, but I think he runs out of gas. Funny Cide - I'm a big fan I admit it. I had the tri in the Jockey Gold cup last year and thought he really gutted out a win. Barclay's says the horse is getting bigger and should be ready, but FC has never done well off a layoff, so I'll pass over his short odds this time. Second of June - One of the top 10 races I've seen not on tape is the FoY from last year, and unfortunately that 2nd place finish is still this horse's number one memory. The workouts posted seem worse than before the Oaklawn, and I am not sure if he'll ever be back to that form of last year. Pollard's Vision - I totally hate this horse. Only women over 70 on the upper east side love mud baths more than this horse. I can't bet him unless it rains, but his grinding style probably gets him in the top 3 no matter the conditions. Eddington - Finished 3rd, the beaten favorite last out, but was caught wide. I think the added distance helps and I think the pace plays to him. However, Eddington is the Kellen Winslow Jr of the group, lots of promise few results. Presidential Affair - Will force the pace, and set the race up for a closer/stalker Eurosilver - I will not throw this horse out. I think the horses coming out of GP have done on the whole well, and his time is legit in the Skipaway. I watched the race and he ran very easily. I think the works since show how easily he did it. Grand Reward - They need to put this horse in a turf race at a mile and an eigth or over. He likes the slow early fast late type race that he will never find on dirt in the US. Offlee Wild - They are climbing the ladder of distance with this horse, and so far so good since Dutrow took over. You know what rhymes with Dutrow?...Suspicion. I'll take an exacta box with Eurosilver and Eddington.