T he G reatest D ay in S ports

T h e G r e at e s t D ay i n S p ort s
A
H O R S E
P O W E R
B O O K
Welcome to Louisville!
I’d like to personally welcome you to this year’s
“Run for the Roses.” Whether it’s your first time
at Churchill Downs or you’re a Derby regular
like my family, this will most likely be a very
memorable weekend.
Speaking of my family, you’ll be happy to know that after finally
winning the Super Bowl, Peyton has taken a break from football
and really gotten into this year’s race. I’ve reminded him to relax
and have fun, but he keeps asking for game tapes of each horse.
As for my little brother, Eli, he really comes out of his shell here at
Churchill Downs. More than once I’ve had to stop him from yelling at the jockeys as they come down the stretch.
Though my brothers and I disagree from time to time, we all agree
that Derby Day is the greatest day in sports (except for events
where a Manning is on the field, of course). This book was made
by the Thoroughbred experts at Horse Power, my new business
venture, which specializes in private Thoroughbred management.
Please feel free to contact us at 614-221-2600 or the web site
below.
Best of luck to everyone!
Sincerely,
Cooper Manning
Principal, Horse Power LLC
www.horsepowerllc.com
Until now, if you wanted to enter the exclusive Thoroughbred
industry you had two choices: take on the risk and responsibility of individual ownership, or become a silent shareholder in
someone else’s stable.
Horse Power provides a better way.
Our expert advisers create and manage your private
Thoroughbred racing stable. You, your partners (usually friends
or family) or your company simply enjoy the benefits of ownership: control, prestige, and the unmatched excitement
of race day.
We offer a proven process, expertise in every aspect of the
Thoroughbred industry, and a flat-fee structure without
hidden costs or conflicts of interest.
If you’ve entertained the idea of being a Thoroughbred owner,
please contact us—our experts can walk you through every
step of the process.
Until then, we’ll see you at the Derby.
www.horsepowerllc.com
©2007 Horse Power LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Contents
The Reasons
The Kentucky Derby isn’t just
a race. It’s a festival like no other. As sporting
1. The Thrill
8
2. The Athlete
12
events become increasingly commercialized, the
“Run for the Roses” remains as unvarnished as it
was for the first running in 1875. This enduring nature is at the core of each of the 15 reasons in this
book that add up to make this the greatest day in
sports. We hope this book will give you a further
appreciation for the beauty of this secluded sport
and, for those experiencing the Derby for the first
time, spark your passion for Thoroughbred racing.
3. The Daredevil
16
4. The Coach20
5. The Parity24
6. The Haves28
7. The Have-Nots32
8. The Glamour36
9. The History
40
10. The Drink
44
11. The Song
48
12. The Payoff52
13. The Garland56
14. The Crown
60
15. The Reward
64
Reason One
The Thrill
Sports Illustrated - You once said winning the
Kentucky Derby is better than sex. Is that true
for the Preakness and the Belmont?
Baffert - Only the Derby [laughs]. Only the
Derby.
Bob Baffert, trainer
Excerpted from a 2003
Sports Illustrated interview
Photo by: Z
www.horsepowerllc.com
The Thrill
TWO MINUTES OF ECSTASY
Sadly, the Derby is the only sporting
event many fans can stand to watch in
its entirety anymore. Most major American
No zebras allowed
Only one Derby winner, Dancer’s Image in 1968, has been disqualified in the history of the race. Meanwhile, in other sports, officiating increasingly dictates the outcomes of major sporting events,
turning athletes, coaches and fans into crybabies. For example:
n
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren after losing Super Bowl XL:
“We knew it was going to be tough going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I didn’t know
we were going to have to play
the guys in the striped shirts
as well.”
n
In response to the game’s
officiating, Dallas Mavericks
owner Mark Cuban ran on
the court after losing Game 5
of last year’s NBA Finals and
reportedly screamed at NBA
Commissioner David Stern,
“(Bleep) you! (Bleep) you! Your
league is rigged!”
sporting events run two hours-plus, and their length
is growing as they’re packed with more and more
commercials every year. The Derby, on the other hand,
unfolds in two minutes—less time than it takes to drink
a mint julep. “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”
is one big adrenaline rush, in which you’ll probably
find yourself squeezed between two little old ladies
screaming their brains out. Does it get any better than
that?
ishes
ng
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Photo fin
10
Going long
Photo by Skip Dickstein
The longest Kentucky Derby race
vs. the longest World Series game:
n World
Series: 5 hours, 41 minutes (2005, Game 3)
Derby: 2 minutes, 52¼ seconds (in 1891, run
at 1½ miles).
n Kentucky
Quiz: True or False: Out of the 132
Kentucky Derby winners, over 100
were born in the Bluegrass State.
11
Reason Two
The Athlete
All Thoroughbred racehorses can be
traced to three stallions: the Darley
Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the
Byerly Turk. These three horses were
imported to England around the end of
the 17th Century. All three were then
bred with English mares to combine the
stamina of the Arabian and Turk breeds
with the speed of the English breed.
Photo courtesy of Keeneland Library
www.horsepowerllc.com
12
13
The Athlete
THE RISE AND FALL OF BARBARO
No horsing around
In sports today, a horse may be the
closest thing we have to a hero. There’s
don’t have to deal with from athletes in horse racing:
a laundry list of villains, from Terrell Owens to Barry
Bonds to Ron Artest. And even the most admired
athletes, like Tiger Woods or LeBron James, just seem
like marketing machines. So it should be no surprise
that America fell in love with 2006 Kentucky Derby
winner Barbaro after last year’s Preakness Stakes, when
he courageously limped down the track despite a shattered leg. After eight months of surgeries, Barbaro was
suddenly gone, and so too was America’s
favorite athlete.
BERS...
An astounding 95 percent
of Thoroughbreds alive
today are descendants of a
great-great-grandson of the
Darley Arabian named
Eclipse, who went undefeated
at the track in the 18th Century and sired the winners of
344 races. That’s a whole lot
of in-breeding.
Source: The Observer (U.K.)
14
NUM
BY THE
1,000
of
weight
Average
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imate to
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25
16
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Average
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red from
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Tired of pro athletes’ antics? Here’s a list of things owners and fans
n
Contract holdouts, trade demands.
n
Arrests, paternity suits.
n
Injecting themselves with
steroids, HGH.
n
Requesting time off to
promote rap album.
n
Writing books entitled “Just Give
Me the Damn Ball.”
n
Whipping out cell phones and calling their mom after winning.
Our favorites
Photo by Skip Dickstein
Some of the most beloved horses
in American racing history:
5. Funny Cide: Purchased for $75,000 by a group of high
school buddies, he was “the people’s horse.”
4. Smarty Jones: The horse that almost killed himself in a
starting gate mishap is now a huge tourist attraction for
Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky.
3. Seabiscuit: This undersized horse lifted spirits during the
Great Depression.
2. Barbaro: His tragic end touched millions.
1. Secretariat: Won the Belmont
Stakes by an amazing 31 lengths
to claim the Triple Crown in 1973.
Quiz: In 2003, Funny Cide
became the first gelding
(neutered horse) to win the
Derby in how many years?
A) 24
B) 49
15
C) 74
D) 99
Reason Three
The Daredevil
“His legs were crossed like a rag doll’s, and you
could tell they were lifeless. I could see the fear in
his eyes. I’ll never forget that look as long as I live.’’
Starter Frank Calvarese to The Dallas Morning News on
the 1978 injury of jockey Ron Turcotte at Belmont Park.
Best known as Secretariat’s jockey, Turcotte remains a
paraplegic to this day.
Photo by Z
www.horsepowerllc.com
16
17
The Daredevil
1. The average size of the jockeys listed in Churchill’s
2006 media guide was 5-foot-3 and 109 pounds.
2. A Derby-winning jockey usually receives
10 percent of the purse.
3. The first Derby was won by an African-American
jockey named Oliver Lewis.
BORN TO BE WILD
Don’t be fooled by their stature, jockeys are the ultimate daredevils. Every race,
wearing nothing more than flimsy helmets and tiny
protective vests, 110-pound jockeys hurtle along at 40
miles per hour on the backs of 1,000-pound horses.
Racecar drivers have the benefit of steel cages and
special restraint systems that frequently allow them to
walk away from spectacular, burning crashes. Trampled
4. Diane Crump became the first female jockey in Derby
history in 1970. To date, four other women have competed
in the “Run for the Roses.”
5. The winningest jockeys in Derby history are Eddie Arcaro
and Bill Hartack, who each won five times.
Flirting with death
have health or disability insurance, a fact that
Take a look at some of the
near-catastrophes for recent
Derby-winning jockeys:
causes a lot of friction
n Mike
jockeys are rarely so lucky—in fact, many don’t even
in the sport.
According to many
in the industry, it’s
not a question of if
you’re going to get
hurt, but of when
and how badly.
g
RS...
ccordin
NUMBE
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BY THE ckey injuries in th ported by the
t jo
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A look a Guild records, s, VA
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juries sin
racing in
50
18
of
number
ckeys.
Current
abled jo
is
d
y
tl
n
e
perman
Smith (2005 Derby
winner): Broke two vertebrae in his back during 1998
accident that left him in a
body cast.
n Jose
Santos (2003 Derby
winner): In a 1992 accident,
Santos broke 11 bones and
underwent surgery to have
two plates and 14 screws
inserted in his right forearm.
Photo by Z
Quiz: What is the maximum weight for a
jockey riding a colt (male) in the Derby?
A) 118
B) 126
C) 137
D) 152
19
Reason Four
The Coach
“That’s all I do. I don’t play golf. I don’t go
bowling. I don’t go to Disneyland. I just take
good care of the horses and wait for something good to happen.”
Barclay Tagg,
Funny Cide’s trainer
From USA Today
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Photo courtesy of Keeneland Library
www.horsepowerllc.com
20
21
The Coach
THE HORSE WHISPERERS
Have you noticed the best
coaches always look miserable?
Take Bob Knight for example. Or how about Bill Parcells.
And who can blame them? Their profession is grueling,
thankless and
about as stable
as plutonium.
Now imagine life
as a trainer. Like
most coaches,
they work seven
days a week during the season,
waking up at 4
a.m. and putting
Photo courtesy of Keeneland Library
in 16-hour days.
The difference in horse racing is that the athlete can’t
talk and there is no offseason. As for getting into the
business, the most common entry-level position is a
hotwalker—walking horses in circles to cool them down
after a race or training session. This has to be the only
industry where cleaning stalls is a promotion.
Decisions, decisions
A good trainer is well worth 10% of the purse, the going rate
in the industry. Here are some of the things a trainer has to
consider to be successful, according to trainer Jason Servis:
n
n
Jockey: Which jockey fits the horse’s style of race and, more importantly, which jockey does the horse like?
n
Schedule: What workout schedule results in optimum performance
and how much rest does the horse need between starts?
n
Distance: Like people, some horses are sprinters, others are distance
runners. It’s up to the trainer to figure out which ones are which.
n
Strategy: A trainer can’t tell a horse how to run a race. So it’s up to
them to figure out if it’s a front-runner or a closer and adjust.
Names to know
A look at some of the trainers you will be hearing about at
Churchill Downs on Saturday:
n
n
n
n
n
22
Shoes: Picking horseshoes isn’t as easy as deciding which pair of Air
Jordan’s to strap on for a basketball game.
Todd Pletcher: Pletcher is the man of the hour. He’s led the nation
in earnings for three consecutive years, but still hasn’t won a Triple
Crown race. That should change this year.
D. Wayne Lukas: “The Godfather” of trainers, this 71-year old is the
all-time leader in earnings by a landslide and has won four Derbies.
Nick Zito: Zito burst onto the scene by winning the Derby in 1991
and ’94, but hasn’t won since.
Bob Baffert: A four-time leading annual money leader for trainers,
he’s already won three Kentucky Derbies.
Bobby Frankel: Carries the dubious distinction of “Best Trainer
Never to Win the Derby.”
Quiz: Entering this year’s race,
what is the record number of
horses one trainer started
23 in a
Kentucky Derby?
Reason Five
The Parity
A comparison of George Steinbrenner’s
success in baseball and horse racing:
Team: New York Yankees
Stable: Kinsman Stable
Year purchased: 1973
Year founded: 1969
Playoff appearances: 17
Derby horses: 6
World Series titles: 6
Derby titles: 0
Photo from horsephotos.com
www.horsepowerllc.com
24
25
The Parity
A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
Though it may seem like it these days,
money can’t buy everything. New York
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner not only has a sixyear World Series “drought” going, he’s never even come
close to smelling the roses after almost 40 years
in the racing industry. In
fact, his best Derby finish
was fifth, back in 1977.
His horse, Bellamy Road,
was the 2005 favorite
but ended up in seventh
place. The field is just too
big for money to “buy”
the Derby. Bellamy Road
was one of over 35,000
Thoroughbreds born in
Photo by Skip Dickstein
the U.S. and Canada in
2002. That could be why he lost out to 50-1 long shot,
Giacomo—or, in Steinbrenner’s eyes, the equivalent of
the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
26
Sheikh-brenner?
Horse racing’s version of George Steinbrenner is Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai:
n Net worth according to Forbes magazine: $14 billion.
n
At the Keeneland sale last fall, Sheikh
Mohammed purchased 49 horses for
$71.9M, including one horse for $11.7M,
a record for the auction.
n
He guaranteed in 1999 that his family
would win the Derby within four years.
n
Sheikh Mohammed has yet to win the
Derby and hasn’t had a horse in the
race since 2002.
n
His horse, Bernardini, won the 2006 Preakness Stakes. It was his first
victory in a Triple Crown race.
Photo by TBD
Anyone’s race
Think you need to be a “blueblood” to win the Derby? Take a look back
at the six high school buddies that became famous in 2003 for their
$75,000 horse named Funny Cide:
n Jack Knowlton: Owner of health-care consulting firm.
n
J.P. Constance: Retired mayor, optical retail store owner.
n
Larry Reinhardt: Construction company project manager.
n
Harold Cring: Part owner of construction company.
n
Mark Phillips: Retired high school math teacher of 33 years.
n
Peter Phillips: Construction company safety specialist
(Mark’s brother).
Which of the three foundation
stallions is Sheikh Mohammed’s
stable named after?
A. Darley Arabian
27
B. Godolphin Arabian
C. Byerly Turk
Reason Six
The Haves
A list of some of the celebrities spotted at the Derby in
the past five years:
2006: Stacy Keibler, John Salley, Julius Erving, Gabrielle Union, Regina
King, Star Jones, Boyz II Men, Chris Tucker, Usher, Tommy Lee,
Serena Williams
Photo by Z
Photo by Z
2005: Nick Lachey, Rebecca Romijn, Matthew Fox, Tara Reid, JamieLynn DiScala, Kid Rock, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Brady, Philip
Seymour Hoffman, Travis Tritt
2004: Anna Nicole Smith, Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson, Kid Rock,
Carson Daly, Brooks & Dunn, Nicole Richie, Chuck Woolery
2003: George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Bo Derek, Kid Rock, Pamela Anderson, Dan Aykroyd, Joe Pesci, Steven Spielberg, Robert Altman
Photo by Z
Photo from horsephotos.com
2002: George Strait, Dennis Hopper, Bo Derek, Melissa Joan Hart, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Francis Ford Coppola
www.horsepowerllc.com
28
29
The Haves
FIT FOR A QUEEN
Presidential Presence:
n
At what other U.S. sporting event would
you ever find the Queen of England?
Surely not the Super Bowl—the British barely acknowledge American football. Queen Elizabeth II is planning to
attend this year’s Derby, which has long been the most
star-studded spectacle in sports. Sitting in the ultra-exclusive boxes of “Millionaire’s Row,” the well-heeled and
well-known show up at the Derby looking their best and,
sometimes, acting their worst. Take socialite Tara Reid
for example, who reportedly crashed the famed Barnstable Brown Party in 2005. Or how about O.J. Simpson,
who publicly
picked Lawyer
Ron to win last
year because he
“loves lawyers.”
That O.J., what a
barrel of laughs.
Photo from horsephotos.com
30
Eight men who served as President of the United States
have attended the Kentucky Derby.
n The
most recent was George W. Bush, who was in
Louisville during the 2000 race while running for office.
n Richard
Nixon is the only president to attend while in
office, appearing in 1969.
Bo knows horses
One celebrity who will most certainly be in Louisville for the race
is actress Bo Derek:
n
n
n
The star of the 1979 movie 10 is
not only a horse racing
enthusiast and owner, she’s
also an animal rights activist.
In 2004, Derek went before
Congress to support legislation
banning the slaughter of horses
for gourmet dining overseas.
Last September, the House of
Representatives passed the
American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act.
n Derek’s
2002 autobiography is
entitled Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life
I Learned from Horses.
Photo by Z
Quiz: Who was the last member
of British Royalty to attend the
Kentucky Derby?
A) Queen Elizabeth’s sister,
Princess Margaret
B) Princess Diana
C) Queen Elizabeth’s father,
George VI
31
D) Prince Charles
Reason Seven
The Have-Nots
“ Welcome to the clothing-optional Kentucky
Derby, a little taste of the Riviera right here
on the Ohio River.”
Steve Hummer,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo by Z
www.horsepowerllc.com
32
33
The Have-Nots
GET YOUR STREAK ON
Booze patrol
n
Streaking at sporting events is on the
verge of extinction. As if humiliating yourself in
front of thousands isn’t enough, now streakers must endure getting slammed to
the ground by police and
thrown in jail. Not at the
Kentucky Derby. Clothing
is essentially optional
on the Churchill Downs
infield, where 80,000
people gather for a giant
party that’s been compared to Woodstock and
Mardi Gras. Those who
do clothe themselves
add to the debauchery
by wearing costumes. A
Photo by Z
tradition since the very
first race, admittance to the infield is just $40 and many
arrive as the gates open at 8 a.m. Even the Derby’s web
site admits you can barely see the race from there, to
which infielders respond,
“Who cares?”
“You actually have to
pay to be vomited and
urinated upon, but,
trust me, it’s worth it.”
34
Matt Rhodes, CollegeMarketPlace.com
“When the Derby field
breaks from the starting gate at 5:38
p.m., most will be too
drunk to realize it.”
Bringing your own alcohol
is strictly forbidden, but
that doesn’t stop many
Neil A. Campbell, The Globe and Mail
spectators from trying to
smuggle it in using various
techniques, including taping bottles of liquor to their legs.
n Whatever
plan you devise, don’t expect to get past security. As fan Josh Cundiff told the Louisville Courier-Journal
last year, “At the Kentucky Derby, they do everything but a
cavity search.”
Not just debauchery
Sometimes, the infield at Churchill Downs has actually
been called on for something useful. For example:
n
1910: Site of first recorded flight in Kentucky.
n
1918: One thousand bushels of potatoes harvested and
auctioned off during shortage in World War I.
Boy Scouts’ Scout- “On a subsequent visit,
O-Rama, in which 3,000
I recall seeing a couple
scouts camp out during a
turn the infield into a
three-day event in April.
n Present:
stud farm. There must
be something about the
horses.” Dan Cahill, Chicago Sun-Times
Quiz: True or False: You aren’t even
allowed to bring water to the infield!
35
Reason Eight
The Glamour
Derby Tip: Make sure your hat dips to the
right, as the field comes down the stretch
from your left.
Photos by Z
www.horsepowerllc.com
36
37
The Glamour
HATS TOP IT ALL OFF
1.Derby hats are inspired by the hats worn at
England’s Royal Ascot horse races, which date
back to 1711.
Ever dreamt of walking the red carpet?
The Kentucky Derby is your chance to feel like a movie
star. Whereas the idea of “dressing up” at most sporting
events is wearing an oversized jersey and painting your
face, everyone at the Derby (outside the infield) looks
dazzling. It’s a great
place for people watching. Take the popular
web site, attitudesbyangie.com, where you can
buy flamboyant headwear perfect for the
Derby. It’s run by a subPhoto by TBD
urban Louisville mom
named Angie Schultz. On her web site, Schultz says she
hopes her hats help women “go out and feel confident, be
honored, fearless, and empowered about who they are.”
And you thought hats were worn just to block the sun!
All about Angie
n Schultz’s hats have been worn by celebrities such
as Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Ripa and Diane Sawyer,
and were also used in the movie Elizabethtown.
n Top priced hats go from $800 to $1,200.
n All of her hats have flamboyant names, such as
“Winner Takes All,” “Hot to Trot” and “Be Noticed.”
38
2. Feel free to drop your outrageous hat off at
the Kentucky Derby Museum to enter it in the
Best Derby Hats contest. Winners are displayed
for the next year.
Anything but uniform
Even the jockeys look glamorous! Their racing silks aren’t your
average jersey.
n According to legend, silks date back to 17th Century England.
When King Charles II first assembled race meets, no one
could tell the horses apart. To solve this problem, jockeys
started wearing different colored silks.
n
n
n
Picking silks is one of the sport’s biggest thrills for owners, as
it is considered their “signature” on the horses.
As racing became popular, silks had to be differentiated. In
1762, The English Jockey Club introduced the registration of
owner’s silks.
The U.S. Jockey Club currently has 30,571 registered silks from
all over the world.
Quiz: In last year’s Kentucky
Derby, Brother Derek’s silks had a
strong resemblance to the logo of
which network television station?
A) CBS
B) NBC
C) ABC
D) FOX
39
Reason Nine
The History
In 1780, England’s 14th Earl of Derby (pronounced
“Darby” in England) and his associate, Sir Charles
Bunbury, decided to hold a race for 3-year-old
colts. The two flipped a coin to decide the name
of the race and Derby won—that’s the origin of
the word and the reason the Kentucky Derby isn’t
the Kentucky Bunbury.
photo by: Skip Dickstein
www.horsepowerllc.com
40
41
The History
WHO’S YOUR GRANDADDY?
1. The first Kentucky Derby was won by the
horse Aristides on May 17, 1875, for a purse
of $2,850 dollars.
How did people make plans to go to
the first Derby? The first year the race was run
in 1875, Alexander Graham Bell hadn’t yet invented
the telephone! That gives you an idea of how old
the Kentucky Derby is, which will be run for the
133rd time this year. In fact, the Derby is the oldest
continually held sporting event in the U.S. The first
Rose Bowl, the so-called “Granddaddy of them all,”
wasn’t played until 27 years after the first “Run for the
Roses.” The first World Series wasn’t held until a year
after that, in 1903. So when you look out on Churchill
Downs’ Twin Spires and 150,000 fans, let it all soak in:
you’re a part of history.
2. The first 22 Derbies were run at 1½ miles
instead of 1¼ miles, the current distance.
3.The Derby was almost canceled in 1945 due
to a federal ban on all horse racing. After it was lifted, the
Derby was run on June 9, the only time the race hasn’t
taken place in May.
“ Until you’ve been to
4. In 1968, Dancer’s Image Kentucky and with your own
became the only win- eyes beheld a Kentucky
ner in Derby history to Derby, you ain’t never been
nowhere and you ain’t never
be disqualified. After
seen nothing.”
it was ruled an illegal
Irwin S. Cobb, Kentucky humorist
substance was used,
Forward Pass was proclaimed the victor.
5. Only three fillies (females) have won the Kentucky Derby:
Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988).
Birth of the Twin Spires
photo by: Skip Dickstein
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n
The iconic Twin Spires were designed by a 24-year-old
architect named Joseph D. Baldez and constructed in 1895
as part of Churchill Downs’ new grandstand.
n
Legend has it that former Churchill Downs president Matt J.
Winn told Baldez, “Joe, when you die there’s one monument
that will never be taken down, the Twin Spires.”
Quiz: Which is NOT a name
of a Derby-winning horse?
A) Paul Jones
B) Clyde Van Dusen
C) George Smith
D) Friedrich Hasselhoff
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Reason Ten
The Drink
“ A mint julep is not a product of a
formula. It is a ceremony and must be
performed by a gentleman possessing
a true sense of the artistic, a deep
reverence for the ingredients and a
proper appreciation of the occasion. It
is a rite that must not be entrusted to a
novice, a statistician, nor a Yankee.”
Lt. Gen. S.B. Buckner Jr., 1937
Photo by: Z
www.horsepowerllc.com
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45
The Drink
CROWN “JULE” OF DRINKING
1. Origin of the word julep is the Persian
word julâb, which means “rosewater.”
2. The mint julep became the official Kentucky
Derby cocktail in 1938.
Sports fans today are treated like
children around alcohol. Sporting venues
3.A specially designed julep cup is presented to
the Kentucky Derby winner each year.
across the country started cracking down after a series
of incidents involving booze, most memorably Detroit’s
“Malice at the Palace” in 2004. Many vendors now leave
the lid off your beer so it can’t be thrown at players and
stop selling well before the game is over to make sure
you sober up. At Churchill Downs, you can drink yourself into oblivion and enjoy unlimited mint juleps, the
official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, for $9 a drink. As
if that isn’t enough, Churchill serves them in glasses and
sterling silver cups that are
collector’s items.
The Legend
In one version of the
julep’s origin story, a
19th Century Kentucky
boatman on the
Mississippi River went
ashore in search of spring
water to mix with his
bourbon. For kicks, he
added some mint growing
by the spring.
MBERS
NU
BY THE
.
r
eekend
Numbe
Derby w
n
o
s
n
Dow
60,000 f ice required.
o
Pounds
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Last year’s race featured $1,000 juleps served in goldplated cups with a silver straw.
n Ingredients
included mint from Morocco, ice from the
Arctic and sugar from the South Pacific.
n Only
50 of these special
cocktails were made; proceeds went to a charity for
retired racehorses.
n Churchill
Downs and
Woodford Reserve will
continue this new tradition,
featuring 133 special juleps
this year, one for each running of the Derby (the 133rd
will be given to the owner
of the winning horse).
hill
by Churc
Photo courtesy of Brown-Forman Corp.
What’s in a mint julep?
10,000 f bourbon require
ttles o
d.
ed.
1,000 f fresh mint requir
ounds o
P
n
...
120,000of mint juleps sold
Bo
The julep to end all juleps
n
n
n
n
n
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Lots of Kentucky Bourbon
Crushed Ice
Quiz: Maybe people don’t want to know
what’s in their drink. According to a
1993 poll conducted by the University
of North Carolina, what percentage
of people know a mint julep contains
bourbon?
A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 20%
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Reason Eleven
The Song
“The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
’Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corn-top’s ripe and the meadow’s in the bloom
While the birds make music all day.”
Stephen Collins Foster,
My Old Kentucky Home
Photo by: Z
www.horsepowerllc.com
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49
The Song
FROM JEERS TO TEARS (OF JOY)
1. The song is believed to be played at the Derby
for the first time in 1921.
2. Adopted as Kentucky’s state song in 1928.
At some point, the stadium song went
horribly wrong. Fortunately, the closest thing you’ll
Worst Stadium Songs Ever:
5. “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” – C+C Music
Factory
4. “Whoomp! There It Is”
– Tag Team
3. “Macarena” – Los Del Rio
2. “Get The Party Started” – Pink
1. “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
– Baha Men
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No one-hit wonder
Stephen Collins Foster, who wrote
“My Old Kentucky Home” in 1853, also
wrote “Oh, Susanna.”
Controversy
“My Old Kentucky Home” is about an old, dying slave
reminiscing just before family and friends are sold off their
Kentucky plantation and separated. Some claim the song
is racist, while others believe it created empathy for slaves
and even aided in the abolition of slavery.
“My Old Kentucky Home”
Photo by Skip Dickstein
hear to “Who Let the Dogs Out?” at the Kentucky Derby
are the bugler’s distinctive “Call to the Post” and a rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home.” The University of Louisville Marching Band performs the song annually while
the field heads from paddock to racetrack. It’s not a
chart-topper, but much like
“God Bless America” during
the 7th inning stretch at
Yankee Stadium, it has the
power to leave the crowd
in tears. Now that’s more
like it.
3. Foster wrote the song at his cousin’s home in
Bardstown, Ky. It is now a tourist attraction.
4. The original lyrics included references to
“darkies,” which were not officially removed until 1986.
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
’Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corn-top’s ripe and the meadow’s in the bloom
While the birds make music all day.
The young folks roll on the cabin floor
All merry, all happy and bright;
By’n by hard times comes a knocking at the door,
Then my old Kentucky home, Good-night!
Weep no more my lady. Oh! Weep no more today!
We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home,
For the old Kentucky home, far away.
Quiz: Though Stephen
Collins Foster wrote “My Old
Kentucky Home,” he was not
a Kentucky native. In which
state was he born and raised?
51
Reason Twelve
The Payoff
“Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.”
Eddie Felson (Paul Newman),
The Color of Money
Photo by: Skip Dickstein
www.horsepowerllc.com
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The Payoff
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Shock-omo
If you haven’t noticed, the racetrack isn’t
a normal sporting venue. In society at large,
gambling is considered to
be a vice—illegal, immoral,
the downfall of sports and
lives alike. In horse racing,
it’s the foundation of the
industry. Two years ago,
owner Jerry Moss gave his
jockey, Mike Smith, a $200
win ticket for their horse
before the Derby began
(jockeys themselves can’t
bet). Smith won the race
Photo by Z
aboard Giacomo with the
ticket in his boot, earning himself a $10,260 bonus. Needless to say, that wouldn’t go over very well in other sports.
Here’s a look at how much wagering on the Derby has increased over the years:
2006
1996
1986
On-track
Off-track
Total
$12,075,504
$106,351,370
$118M
7,488,43837,734,438
6,165,119
* Source: Thoroughbred Times
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n
Seven people picked the winning $1 superfecta (top four
finishers in order) tickets, which paid out $864,253.50.
n
Chris Hertzog, a Phoenix firefighter, lost his winning ticket. A
mutuel clerk found it next to her machine a day later. Said
Hertzog afterward: “Don’t you just love happy endings?”
n
Two of the other winners were longtime friends Tom
Ritchie and Brian Wien, who handicapped the race from the
Meadowlands Racetrack parking lot in New Jersey.
Gambling 4 dummies
n
Betting on horse races is different than most casino games
because you aren’t playing against the house. Instead, you
are partaking in “parimutuel betting” in which you bet
against every other gambler.
n
At the track, all the money goes into a large pool, which is
then split up by the winning ticket holders after tax deductions and racetrack expenses (usually 15-25 percent) are
taken out.
n Don’t
Wanna bet?
In 2005, Giacomo became the second-biggest underdog to
win the Derby (50-1 odds).
19,932,231
$45M
$26M
know the difference between an exacta and a
trifecta? Don’t be a fool and try to handicap the races
yourself! Just ask around for a “tip sheet” and copy the
experts’ picks.
Quiz: Donerail is the biggest underdog
to ever win the Kentucky Derby. What
were his odds in 1913?
A) 91-1
B) 121-1
C) 146-1
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D) 801-1
Reason Thirteen
The Garland
Every year at precisely 4 p.m. on Derby Eve, the
creation of the garland begins at a selected
Kroger supermarket. Open to public viewing, the
roses are sewn onto a blanket with a seal of the
Commonwealth on one end and the Twin Spires
and the number of the running on the other. The
entire process takes between 10 and 12 hours
to complete.
Photo from horsephotos.com
www.horsepowerllc.com
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57
The Garland
IN THE NAME OF THE ROSE
1. The garland features one rose for each horse in
the race. A single “crown” rose in the center points
upward to symbolize the heart and struggle
required to win.
Trophies are like opinions; everybody
has one. Champions of major sports are routinely
Start of the “run”
New York Journal sports columnist Bill Corum officially coined
the Derby the “Run for the
Roses” in 1925. He later served
as the president of Churchill
Downs from 1950 to 1958.
58
Approximate number of roses used: 564
Measurements: 2½ yards long by 14
inches wide
Approximate weight: 35 pounds
2. Each of the roses are hand-selected “prime”
roses, of which there is only one in each rosebush.
3. Each winning rider also receives a “Jockey’s Bouquet”
with 60 long-stemmed roses wrapped with ribbon.
4. The winner’s circle is decorated with 2,100 roses that were not
selected for the garland.
5. The garland is so revered that many winners have it immediately
locked in an air-tight display case to make it last forever.
A rosy history
Photo by Skip Dickstein
awarded hardware which, Stanley Cup aside, is neither
striking nor glamorous. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is
little more than a football on an enlarged tee. While the
winner of the Kentucky Derby also gets a trophy, the
true prize is a garland made of hundreds of fresh roses
draped over the winning jockey and horse (hence the
Derby moniker, the
“Run for the Roses”).
The garland’s temporary nature is a part of
its charm—it is something meant to be appreciated only during
the sheer joy following
a Derby win.
Garland Basics
n
The first published accounts of roses placed on the horse were
in 1896, when a collar of white and pink roses was reportedly attached to the winner, Ben Brush.
n In
1931, Churchill Downs requested a formalized pattern for the
garland. It was designed by Louisville florist Grace Walker and
laid over Burgoo King after winning the 1932 Derby.
n After
Mrs. Walker retired in 1974, her daughter, Betty
Korfhage, continued the family tradition until 1987. At that time,
the Kroger grocery store chain took over the responsibilities.
Quiz: Who presents the garland of
roses and trophy to the winner?
A) President of Churchill Downs
B) University of Louisville President
C) Mayor of Louisville
D) Governor of Kentucky
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Reason Fourteen
The Crown
In the last ten years, six horses have won the
Derby and the Preakness, only to come up
short at the Belmont Stakes in their attempt
for the Triple Crown:
Year
1997
1998
1999
2002
2003
2004
Seattle Slew winning the 1997 Belmont
Stakes and the Triple Crown
Photo from horsephotos.com
Horse
Silver Charm
Real Quiet
Charismatic
War Emblem
Funny Cide
Smarty Jones
Belmont finish
2nd
2nd *
3rd
8th
3rd
2nd
* Lost by a nose
www.horsepowerllc.com
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61
The Crown
THE MAGIC OF THREE
Don’t worry; once the Derby’s
finished, the excitement has
just begun.
In horse racing, the
sport’s biggest day is part
of something bigger:
the Triple Crown, which
consists of the Kentucky
Derby, the Preakness
Stakes and the Belmont
Stakes. Compare that to
the NFL, where fans go
Photo by Z
straight from the excite- Pictured: Secretariat
ment of the Super Bowl into a seven-month offseason.
At the Derby, people start asking, “Will this be the
year?” before they’ve even left Churchill Downs. Last
accomplished in 1978, a Triple Crown victory is one of
the greatest feats in sports. For one thing, Triple Crown
races are open only to three-year-old horses, making
it a once-in-a-lifetime shot. And all three races take
place over a five week period, hardly giving the horses
a chance to catch their breath. It’s truly the ultimate
three-peat.
1. The term “Triple Crown” was coined in 1930
by Charles Hatton, a sportswriter for the
Daily Racing Form.
2.It was impossible to win the 1922 Triple
Crown. Why? Because that year the Derby and
Preakness were held on the same day.
3. The Triple Crown was not formally adopted by the Thoroughbred Racing Association until 1950. The Triple Crown
Trophy was presented retroactively to the eight
previous winners.
Crowning achievements
A comparison of how rare it is to take the Triple Crown in horse racing and baseball (leading the league in batting average, home
runs and RBIs):
First year: First winner: No. of winners:
Last winner: Horse Racing
1875
Sir Barton (1919)
11
Affirmed (1978)
Baseball
1876
Paul Hines (1878)
16
Carl Yastrzemski (1967)
Note: Number of golf Grand Slams: 1; Number of tennis
Grand Slams in singles: 6
Quiz: True or False: This
is currently the longest
drought between Triple
Crown winners.
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Reason Fifteen
The Reward
Storm Cat (pictured) brings in an estimated $25 million
annually in breeding feeds according to HBO’s “Real
Sports,” which would make him the 15th highest-paid
athlete in the world:
Photo by Z
Forbes: 2006 World’s highest-paid athletes
1. Tiger Woods (golf)
$87 M
2. Michael Schumacher (racing)
$60 M
3. Oscar De La Hoya (boxing)
$38 M
4. Michael Vick (football)
$37.5 M
5. Shaquille O’Neal (basketball)
$33.4 M
6.
Michael Jordan (basketball)
$33 M
7. David Beckham (soccer)
$32.5 M
8. Kobe Bryant (basketball)
$28.8 M
T-9. Valentino Rossi (motorcycling)
$28 M
T-9. Lance Armstrong (cycling)
$28 M
11. Alex Rodriguez (baseball)
$27.5 M
12. Phil Mickelson (golf)
$26.8 M
13. Andre Agassi (tennis)
$26.2 M
14. Derek Jeter (baseball)
$25.5 M
Storm Cat
Approx $25 M
15. Manny Ramirez (baseball)
$24.2 M
www.horsepowerllc.com
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The Reward
WHY THEY CALL HIM ‘SMARTY’
1. The Jockey Club forbids artificial insemination
of Thoroughbreds to avoid possible scandals
such as cloning.
Winning the Super Bowl isn’t all it’s
cracked up to be. Sure, you get a bonus, a pat
on the back and a fancy ring, but in a couple months
you’re back on the practice field. Now compare that to
the life of 2004
Kentucky Derby
winner Smarty
Jones. After coming up just short
of the Triple
Crown in the
Belmont, Smarty
never raced again.
Photo from horsephotos.com
Instead, he was
retired to Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., where
his occupation is breeding; owners hoping for a future
Kentucky Derby winner are happy to pay $100,000 to
have their horses impregnated by him. Now that’s a
retirement plan.
2. Retired racehorses used for breeding, such as
Smarty Jones and Storm Cat, are known as “sires.”
3. John Magnier, a pioneer in horse breeding and
owner of Coolmore Stud, was recently ranked seventh on
Ireland’s “Rich List” by the Sunday Independent, one spot
ahead of the music group U2.
4. Even impotent horses can make you rich! The top-earning
racehorse ever, Cigar, was infertile, but his owners had a $25
million infertility insurance policy to fall back on.
5. Smarty Jones should be a sire for a long time, as horses live
approximately 25 years as previously mentioned.
The cat’s meow
You don’t need to be a champion Thoroughbred to be a big
hit in the shed, as Storm Cat has proved:
n Storm Cat had just one stakes victory in his career and
finished second in the Breeders Cup Juvenile in 1985.
n
Due to the success of his offspring, Storm Cat’s stud fee
(breeding fee) has skyrocketed over the years. It is now a
mind-boggling $500,000.
Quiz: What is the current stud fee
for Giacomo, the 2005 Kentucky
Derby winner?
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67
Who We Are
Elite Expertise
Chris McCarron, Racing Expert
n Two-time
Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont
Stakes winner.
The Horse Power team unites some of the world’s
leading experts in every essential aspect of the
n National
Thoroughbred business. Their experience and insights optimize
n Acted
in and served as race designer for the
movie Seabiscuit.
our clients’ racing success.
Donna Brothers, Racing Expert
n
11 years as a professional jockey.
n
#2 U.S. female jockey by money earned.
n
Color analyst and commentator for NBC Sports.
John Prather, Breeding Expert
n
45 years in the business.
n
Expert on pedigrees and breeding analysis and strategy.
n
Planned pairing that produced Funny Cide
(Winner, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes).
Laura D’Angelo, Equine Law Expert
n
Expert in business, equine, and sports/entertainment law.
n
Active leader in national racing/equestrian groups.
n
Former counsel to Gulfstream Park and Magna
Entertainment Corp.
Dennis Lynch, Thoroughbred Expert
n30
Thoroughbred Hall of Fame member since 1989.
Bud Watson, Equine Financial Expert
n25
years specialization in equine finances.
n20
years as partner in an equine-specialty
accounting firm.
n
Expert in business strategy, financial/tax
planning, accounting.
years in the business.
n
Director of Thoroughbred and Market
Development for Fasig-Tipton.
n
Personally evaluated more than 150,000 horses.
n
Personal advisor to celebrities and Thoroughbred
industry leaders.
Shameless plug: For answers to the
quiz questions, go to:
horsepowerllc.com
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Who We Are
Principals
We’d Like to Say Thanks...
Horse Power is guided by principals and managers with a
To all those who helped make this book a reality, we owe you
knack for exclusive entertainment and extensive
a debt of gratitude:
n Photos by Z
business management experience.
Cooper Manning, Principal
n
Skip Dickstein
n Reputable
n
Seelbach Hotel
n
Atlantic Aviation
investor with a passion for luxury sports
and entertainment.
Paul Pursley, Principal
n
Barnstable Brown Family
n
Decades of investment experience.
n
Keeneland
n
Expert analysis of markets, trends, and opportunities.
n
Horsephotos.com
n
Healthy distance from Thoroughbred industry.
n
Brown-Forman Corporation
Glenn Weber, Managing Director
n
20 years owner/president Weber Associates
consulting firm.
n
Fortune 50 clients include: Verizon, Bank One, AT&T, Capital
One, SBC, and the American Red Cross.
Dennis Lynch, Director, Asset Management
n30
years in the business.
n Director
of Thoroughbred and Market
Development for Fasig-Tipton.
n Personally
evaluated more than 150,000 horses.
n Personal
advisor to celebrities and Thoroughbred
industry leaders.
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71
About the Author
Jim Weber started his career in sports
journalism as a researcher for CBS Sports’
College Sports TV, one of just five people
responsible for all on-air information. He
then moved to NBC Sports, serving as a
newsdesk producer for their
relaunched website.
Weber graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004
after serving as a senior sports editor for the student newspaper, The Michigan Daily. While there, he also wrote for the
Detroit Free Press and The Associated Press, among others.
He currently resides in New York as a freelance writer, where
he regularly contributes to Hall of Fame Magazine along with
some of the industry’s top journalists, including eight-time
Emmy winner Armen Keteyian and Pro Football Hall of Fame
member Lesley Visser.
He can be reached at jamesmweber@gmail.com.
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Make Contact:
614.221.2600
www.horsepowerllc.com
abbi@horsepowerllc.com
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