Not only does Sergio de Sousa keep Cozmic One happy and healthy at his farm, he goes out of his way to share updates with us. Here’s a glimpse into Coz’s birthday morning at De Sousa Stables.
Happy birthday Coz!
Cozmic One, birthday 2021. Video by Sergio de Sousa.
Cozmic One, birthday 2021. Video by Sergio de Sousa.
A dear friend of mine adopted an abandoned Mama cat and her one surviving boy from a litter of four. They were in need of vet care, so she wasn’t able to take them home until two weeks ago. Four days ago she woke up and, to her surprise, found a newborn kitten in her bed, along with Mama Josie and her boy, Greyson. Later on, two more babies were born.
No one realized that Mama cat was pregnant again, not even the vet.
This is a photo of Sweet Mama Josie with Greyson last week before the babies were born and the second photo is of Sweet Mama Josie hugging her new babies today.
Judy,
Bless you friend for taking in this mom and son. Kittens are such fun to have around although hard on drapes and furniture.
Cannot believe it is Preakness time again!
Judy, thanks for the falcon photo, and the kitties too. I am watching a bald eagle nest. Those babies grow fast, the eaglet is getting feathers in.
Ok, so now allegedly Medina Spirit got an ointment. So how would the vet not know that the ointment contained betamethasone? Does anyone know what they are doing?
I agree, it is not fair to horses. They should always come first.
I think some of you folks have unwarranted concerns about the jockeys that are moving to CA. Our state is one of the most beautiful in the USA! Both Santa Anita and Del Mar are two of the finest tracks too. Living here is not cheap. Average home where I live is $500k. The track folks are warm and welcoming. You can’t beat the weather. Don’t believe everything you hear on the news. We do have a crazy governor but some eastern states do too!
Did you know Rosie has a second career as a trainer for retired thoroughbreds, ala Ziconic and Cozmic One?
We are happy for the jockey moving to California.
We were all wishing him good luck.
We love our racing peeps.
I believe you have misinterpreted our conversation. We have been following Trevor since he was a bug boy and are so proud of him.
Peace!
Well said, Neighbor Ann!
I certainly did not intend any criticism of the move.
Simply wishing good luck and that they will be missed here — also,
sending congrats on the baby news.
Hugs and Love
Ann NC
Our only concerns here in NC….finding gas, yikes!
Hope all is well over in your parts.
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
You’re always uplifting with your wit and your caring posts.
You’re a joy. Love and Hugs, JB
Our Ann is spot on in explaining our comments on Trevor’s move to CA. Ann told me about him when he first started in MD and we have been fans ever sense. We will miss having him and Katie here in the East and riding at Saratoga, but we know he and Katie will thrill fans in CA with there excellent riding just as they did us.
Yes, I’ve read about Rosie N’s work with OTTBs and last year I believe Julie Krone began work as a Jockey Agent.
Love and Hugs, JB
Wonder is he will be on Weyburn for the Belmont?
It has been fun watching him go from kid to upstanding man.
Love and hugs!
judy berube
Dear Ann:
I was hoping he will be.
Yes, we watched him go from bug boy to stellar rider; from MD, NY and now to CA and soon to be Dad. I think, if not this year, we’ll see him in a Triple Crown race in future.
Been concerned about that gas shortage for you, Marshall and all in NC. Cyber hacking attacks are really scary. Hope it gets resolved soon. Love and hugs, JB
Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Ann and Z Fans:
I forgot that Trevor has already ridden in a Classic race. He rode Bodhisattva in the 2015 Preakness, the year Pharoah won the Triple Crown. They finished 8th. Hope we see him in the Belmont this year.
Here’s the article I read on Julie Krone’s return last year. She was one of my favorite jockeys. That photo of her daughter from 2007 when she was about 2 or 3 years old is so adorable.
Isn’t Ms. Peterson amazing. You can tell Julie is really impressed too. Jockey and licensed veterinarian.
Wow! Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Judy,
Ms. Peterson is amazing. Hope she does well in her racing career.
You are right. If you and I were breeders, we would keep them all as pets and they would die of old age.
Still sticking with Midnight Bourbon!
judy berube
Dear Shirlee:
I like MB too and long shot, Keepmeinmind. Good luck.
Dear Judy,
Thanks bunches for posting this article. Wow, Ferrin Peterson is definitely an overachiever — equitation/dressage, veterinarian, veterinary acupuncturist and talented jockey!! All this before 30, impressive is an understatement. (also, she was NCAA Division 1 pole vaulter in college)
Great to have Julie K. in her corner, too. Good luck to Ferrin and very best wishes to Julie in her new career, too!
Hugs and Love
Judy,
Thanks for the slideshow of the Preakness runners. They are all beautiful. For some reason the Japanese horse reminds me of Thunder Snow. Safe trip to all of them.
Like The Grass Is Blue in the Black Eyed Susan. Wonder why?
Dear Judy,
Thanks for the slideshow! I am leaning toward Midnight Bourbon, but I am also thinking about the handsome gray/roan Unbridled Honor.
Good luck and safe racing to all!
Hugs and Love
Hi Zsters ?
Just wanted to stop by b4 i went to bed. Been under the weather lately. But ive kept every1 in my prayerZ ?.
Happy belated bday to Judy Berube!! Hope it was good ?❗
Ive enjoyed all the links shared. ?
Im not sure who im rooting for in the preakness yet. Good luck ? to them tho☺.
Much luv ❤ to y’all. HugZ, vamp?♀️
Happy Friday, everyone (at least I think it’s still Friday ;-). Too many errands today. Hovey has provided a play by play account of last week’s mutilation and his ongoing disappointment that he wasn’t even ordered stall rest.
I have no clue re the Preakness. Maybe Midnight Bourbon. Haven’t heard of any of the fillies running in the Black Eyed Susan so I guess I’ll just be an interested spectator. Hope many of you are enjoying the spectacular weather that we’ve having in the Ohio valley (about time after all of the rain and SNOW of last week). Happy Weekend!
Love and hugs,
Sandy
Dear Sandy,
Once more, thank you for providing the Hovis report. Poor guy — sorry he couldn’t get another night at “l’hotel”. I do hope they get good lab reports.
——-
I am leaning towards Midnight Bourbon, too. Safe racing to all!
Hugs and Love
Another future Curlin baby to follow. Maybe a Derby contender in 2025. Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Judy,
I agree. This should be a royal baby. Curlin is sure a looker. His ad on America’s Day At The Races is wonderful. He looks like a real stud muffin.
Congrats to Army Wife, Joel Rosario, Mike Maker and all connections on winning the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes! AW is a lovely bay filly, and Joel did a great job.
Congrats to Last Judgment, Jose Ortiz, Mike Maker and all connections on the Pimlico Special Stakes! They came on strong to finish first!
Mike Maker had quite a day!
Cheers and Hugs
Good morning my beautiful Zenyatta; Today is the Preakness. I wish all horses and riders a safe trip. Every time I watch a race Z, I think of you!
Love you with kisses; and to all your foals
Auntie Sally B
Winning Always Wins. Will Integrity Place, or Even Show?
By Joe Drape (NYT)
Thirty dead horses at a California track. Federal indictments accusing more than two dozen trainers and veterinarians from Florida to New York of doping their animals. All in the past two and a half years.
Is there anything the sport of thoroughbred racing holds sacred?
On Sunday, we found out: the Kentucky Derby.
Almost as soon as Bob Baffert announced that his colt Medina Spirit had failed a drug test after winning the 147th running of America’s greatest race, officials of Churchill Downs made it clear that if a second sample confirmed the presence of betamethasone, a corticosteroid injected into joints to reduce pain and swelling, the colt would be disqualified and Mandaloun, the runner-up, would be declared the winner.
Apparently, Churchill Downs treasures the Derby’s status enough to come down hard on rule breakers, even one who has stood in the winner’s circle seven times.
“I would like to be optimistic about our sport but today we are an embarrassment,” tweeted Graham Motion, who trained the 2011 Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. “Perhaps we have to hit rock bottom before things get better but we only have ourselves and the leaders of our sport to blame. For anyone that loves the sport as much as I do it’s a sad day.”
While the world waits for the second test result, expected in the coming weeks, the sport is on to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes, where Medina Spirit will try to win the second leg of the Triple Crown and another Baffert horse, Concert Tour, will try to beat him.
No one should blame Medina Spirit for this mess. He did what horses are supposed to do — run fast.
In fact, feel sorry for him and his rider, John Velazquez, whose fourth Derby victory might be erased from the history books. Then again, Velazquez will be astride Medina Spirit on Saturday, with another chance to win.
Only in a sport with no central authority and with haphazardly enforced rules could a deal be brokered like the one Baffert made with the owners of Pimlico Race Course, the host of the Preakness: Medina Spirit can run if he tests clean on multiple blood samples and his veterinarian records are found to be in order.
Baffert, the Hall of Fame trainer, declared he would not be in Baltimore because he did not want to be a distraction. Or so he said.
Of course, he has said quite a few things. Over a period of 72 hours, the trainer first insisted that there was no way Medina Spirit had tested positive, then blamed cancel culture, mysterious contamination and racing officials out to get him, and finally said, Oh yeah, we gave him the drug, but we didn’t know we were doing it.
On Tuesday, Baffert acknowledged treating Medina Spirit for a rash by using an antifungal ointment called Otomax, which — to Baffert’s professed surprise — contained betamethasone.
The failed test and Baffert’s evolving explanations have shocked casual fans, provided punch lines to hosts of late night talk shows and handed more ammunition to animal rights activists who want the sport shut down altogether.
“Look at the damage this has done to our sport,” said Arthur Hancock III, a fourth-generation horse breeder. “It’s hung a dark cloud over horse racing and a dark cloud over Kentucky.”
For more than 30 years, the Hancock family was among a core of breeders and owners who pushed the sport to crack down on a culture of doping that was enabled by lax regulation. One bill after another failed to get out of Congress, thanks to reliably consistent opposition — from horse trainers, whom the bills targeted, and from racetracks that did not want the headache of federal regulation.
So what’s the fuss over a little medication? A horse on painkillers may run all-out on an injured leg because it doesn’t feel the damage. When horses break down, there is usually no bringing them back. In Southern California, 30 horses at Santa Anita Park had to be euthanized over a six-month period starting in December 2018, inflaming animal rights activists and putting the sport in the cross-hairs of law enforcement.
To say nothing of the risk to the jockeys, who go down when their mounts do.
Last year, finally, Congress passed the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which calls for a board overseen by the Federal Trade Commission to write rules and penalties to be enforced by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The agency, which regulates Olympians and other elite athletes in the United States, revealed the cyclist Lance Armstrong’s cheating and issued him a lifetime suspension in 2012. The law will take effect July 1, 2022.
If the antidoping program were in place now, this whole circus may have been avoided.
The testing labs would have met world-class standards, would have been fast and efficient — no waiting weeks for a second test result, as we will with Medina Spirit — and would have meted out tougher penalties, especially for pain medication. Deterrents like rigorous and consistent out-of-competition testing might have kept Medina Spirit out of the Derby starting gate or ensured that he entered it clean. And Baffert, stained by four other positive drug tests racked up in a little more than a year, would be facing a 180-day suspension, according to the baseline rules.
On the morning after Medina Spirit won the Derby, well before the positive test was revealed, Amanda Simmons Luby composed a tweet thread that was as prescient as the suspicions that inspired it are heartbreaking. Luby fell in love with horse racing as a little girl reading Walter Farley’s series of “Black Stallion” books. As a young woman, she entered the thoroughbred industry, working in the stables of the Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, breaking in yearlings in Ireland and working at a stallion station in central Kentucky.
She eventually went to law school and worked as an attorney, but she has returned to the sport as a breeder. A very small breeder — she has two mares. Medina Spirit was bred by a woman with a similarly modest operation and sold as a yearling for only $1,000. His current owner, Amr Zedan of Saudi Arabia, got him for a song, $35,000. But Luby could not get excited by the colt’s victory.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Derby winner where the general public is able to celebrate the victory without reservation?” her tweet thread started.
Her unease was with Baffert, who she acknowledges is personable and perhaps the greatest trainer of all time — with a record seven Derby titles and two Triple Crowns. But she could not get past his drug violations — 30 of them.
“I call it the Lance Armstrong effect, where there’s reason to question the wins,” she told me on the phone. “We sincerely hope our champions we put on this pedestal did not get there by illicit means. I’m afraid the Lance Armstrongs permeate our industry.”
And if that is true?
Seven days before the public knew that Medina Spirit had flunked a drug test, Luby knew how high the stakes were.
“If this industry has any hope of surviving, the masses (both in & out of the sport) have to believe the playing field is fair,” she wrote on Twitter under the handle Welbourne Stud, the name of her breeding business. “A good portion of us have grave concerns that it is not. Without a well-grounded sense of fairness, why spend another dime on the sport?”
For too long, principles and good intentions have finished a distant second to winning. Let’s hope it’s not too late to flip that equation.
Hi Zsters ?.
?Happy preakness day?
Ill hafta watch the replay later once 8m home from treatment. ?
Happy bday to Zellda!
Man. Time sure does fly.
Take care every1!
Much luv ? HugZ ❤prayerZ ?.
Have a good wkend!
Vamp ?♀️
Hi Zsters! ❤ Does anyone know the name of the horse with the white face that Donna Brothers was riding while interviewing the winning jockey after the preakness?
Thanks, Cheryl
Rombauer wins the Preakness. Midnight second, Spirit third and Keepmeinmind fourth. Mikey had a troubled trip on Concert Tour.
Congrats to Rom, Jockey F. Pratt and trainer M. McCarthy. Love and Hugs, JB
Congrats to Rombauer, Pratt and M. McCarthy.
Loved MM’s interview. Made me cry, too. A week of sad and happy tears!
Hope Concert is alright, read about a bleed? Hope not.
Congrats to Mean Mary. Great return.
Now I want to get Medina and put him in a big pasture, Brave, brave boy. All heart!
Love to all. Cheers.
Didn’t hear about a possible bleed with CT. Hope he’s OK.
I’m with you; Spirit, Midnight and Keep all heart; giving their all again with just two weeks between the Derby and the Preakness. Hope they all get extra treats. Love and Hugs, JB
Dear Judy and Ann,
Congrats to Rombauer, Flavien Pratt, M. McCarthy and all connections! What an exciting finish!
Congrats to Midnight Bourbon, Medina and Keepmeinmind, also.
—-
The interview with Michael McCarthy touched me too, Ann. Happy tears!
The Fradkins (owners/breeders) are a small outfit, as was the breeder of Medina Spirit (Gail Rice). I enjoyed the piece about Gail Rice — her excitement and love for Medina Spirit was refreshing.
Hope everyone returned to the barn healthy❣️
Hugs and Love
Congrats to Rombauer and all the team. I love to see the small breeders win. And they said this couple had only 2 broodmares! Also, it has got to be super sweet to win with a homebred.
Hope all came out sound. Poor Medina gave it his all. I am still on the Midnight Bourbon bandwagon. He might be like Gun Runner and many others and be a better 4 year old. Hope he stays around. What about old man Arklow???
Dear Shirlee,
Oh Yes!! Arklow was his amazing self! Nine years and still running strong — he gave those younger guys an education.
I still like Midnight Bourbon, also.
Hugs and Love
JB and Zfans,
Yes, hoping Concert is alright this am.
That remark above about him was probably an “off the cuff” remark made by some railbird. So until we hear official news, I am sorry I posted it here.
Shirlee, cheers to Arklow!!! Great race for him.
Even better Preakness news in that Pratt even thanked his pony girl and lead pony. What class, how sweet to give kudos to the hard working track folks.
Love my lead ponies!
OMgosh. A difference a week makes. Feeling so much lighter and better.
Thank you Racing Gods.
Ann, have been checking for info on CT, but so far just found articles that have comment from Mikey that he was baffled by CT’s lackluster performance. Will keep looking.
Shirlee, I feel sad for Spirit too. Impressive win by Rombauer.
Congrats to Arklow; well done indeed! Love an Hugs, JB
SURPRISE!! Rombauer wins the Preakness. Thanks Judy for mentioning that Concert Tour had a troubled trip, The replay I had made it very hard to see. A couple of things happened I wanted to mention that were overshadowed. 1) there was a horse named Dinosaur Ben who was the favorite in Race 7 on Friday that apparently suffered a leg injury and went down and was vanned off which usually doesn’t bode well. 2) In the Sir Barton Stakes Race 1 today Market Gap stumbled very badly at the start and his jockey came off. OOPS! Let’s just everybody else came back safely. I’d certainly like the Kleenex concession for all those who bet on the big names. Here’s hoping everyone has a pleasant evening with their feet up and a big cup of tea.
Congratulations to Rombauer on his Preakness win. Congratulations to all his connections. Your can’t help but feel bad for all the valiant efforts that just fell short.
Once again my post for today didn’t go through so will try again. Since yesterdays posts were downers of a sort, I wanted to include some good news that’s much happier. In race 7 yesterday (Saturday) a horse named Mischief Afoot pulled an excellent example of a “Zenyatta” and came from last to first to win. If Zenyatta had been watching, I imagine she would have thought or said to herself HM just like I used to do. GOOD JOB!
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Stay comfy and cozy and Happy Dreams. Love and Hugs, JB❤️?❤️?❤️?
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
A dear friend of mine adopted an abandoned Mama cat and her one surviving boy from a litter of four. They were in need of vet care, so she wasn’t able to take them home until two weeks ago. Four days ago she woke up and, to her surprise, found a newborn kitten in her bed, along with Mama Josie and her boy, Greyson. Later on, two more babies were born.
No one realized that Mama cat was pregnant again, not even the vet.
This is a photo of Sweet Mama Josie with Greyson last week before the babies were born and the second photo is of Sweet Mama Josie hugging her new babies today.
Love and Hugs, JB
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0PWwf2X7F8ptYkurcFScDUp8w
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Ev8_D_2MWG4YOC7IduYwyXmQ
judy berube
PS: My friend says often when the kittens are napping, Mama plays with Greyson and they
have their meals together. She really is a Sweet Mama cat.
Love and Hugs, JB
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy,
These are very lucky kitties for sure!
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs and Love
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
They’re well loved for sure. Love and Hugs, JB
Kathy
Dear Judy,
BEAUTIFUL Mama and babies! Thank you for sharing!
Hugs, Kathy
judy berube
Dear Kathy:
They’re so precious. Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Judy,
Bless you friend for taking in this mom and son. Kittens are such fun to have around although hard on drapes and furniture.
Cannot believe it is Preakness time again!
judy berube
Dear Shirlee:
These little ones will be a handful in a few weeks!
Godspeed to all the horses and riders everywhere; safe and sound. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Have a lovely day and restful evening. Happy Dreams. Love You. Hugs, JB
Barbara Brayton
Judy, thanks for the falcon photo, and the kitties too. I am watching a bald eagle nest. Those babies grow fast, the eaglet is getting feathers in.
Ok, so now allegedly Medina Spirit got an ointment. So how would the vet not know that the ointment contained betamethasone? Does anyone know what they are doing?
I agree, it is not fair to horses. They should always come first.
judy berube
Dear Barbara:
Indeed they should. Love and Hugs, JB
Lindal
I think some of you folks have unwarranted concerns about the jockeys that are moving to CA. Our state is one of the most beautiful in the USA! Both Santa Anita and Del Mar are two of the finest tracks too. Living here is not cheap. Average home where I live is $500k. The track folks are warm and welcoming. You can’t beat the weather. Don’t believe everything you hear on the news. We do have a crazy governor but some eastern states do too!
Did you know Rosie has a second career as a trainer for retired thoroughbreds, ala Ziconic and Cozmic One?
Ann NC
We are happy for the jockey moving to California.
We were all wishing him good luck.
We love our racing peeps.
I believe you have misinterpreted our conversation. We have been following Trevor since he was a bug boy and are so proud of him.
Peace!
Marshall (NC Broad)
Well said, Neighbor Ann!
I certainly did not intend any criticism of the move.
Simply wishing good luck and that they will be missed here — also,
sending congrats on the baby news.
Hugs and Love
Ann NC
Our only concerns here in NC….finding gas, yikes!
Hope all is well over in your parts.
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
You’re always uplifting with your wit and your caring posts.
You’re a joy. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Lindal:
Our Ann is spot on in explaining our comments on Trevor’s move to CA. Ann told me about him when he first started in MD and we have been fans ever sense. We will miss having him and Katie here in the East and riding at Saratoga, but we know he and Katie will thrill fans in CA with there excellent riding just as they did us.
Yes, I’ve read about Rosie N’s work with OTTBs and last year I believe Julie Krone began work as a Jockey Agent.
Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Wonder is he will be on Weyburn for the Belmont?
It has been fun watching him go from kid to upstanding man.
Love and hugs!
judy berube
Dear Ann:
I was hoping he will be.
Yes, we watched him go from bug boy to stellar rider; from MD, NY and now to CA and soon to be Dad. I think, if not this year, we’ll see him in a Triple Crown race in future.
Been concerned about that gas shortage for you, Marshall and all in NC. Cyber hacking attacks are really scary. Hope it gets resolved soon. Love and hugs, JB
Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Ann and Z Fans:
I forgot that Trevor has already ridden in a Classic race. He rode Bodhisattva in the 2015 Preakness, the year Pharoah won the Triple Crown. They finished 8th. Hope we see him in the Belmont this year.
Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Here’s the article I read on Julie Krone’s return last year. She was one of my favorite jockeys. That photo of her daughter from 2007 when she was about 2 or 3 years old is so adorable.
Love and Hugs, JB
https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/julie-krone-returns-to-racing-with-a-new-job/
shirleeinindy
Judy,
Thanks for the post about Julie Krone. She was my favorite when she was riding.
Good luck to her in her new career.
Ann NC
Thanks, JB.
Just the news racing needs!
judy berube
Dear Ann and Shirlee:
Isn’t Ms. Peterson amazing. You can tell Julie is really impressed too. Jockey and licensed veterinarian.
Wow! Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Judy,
Ms. Peterson is amazing. Hope she does well in her racing career.
You are right. If you and I were breeders, we would keep them all as pets and they would die of old age.
Still sticking with Midnight Bourbon!
judy berube
Dear Shirlee:
I like MB too and long shot, Keepmeinmind. Good luck.
Godspeed all; safe and sound.
Love and Hugs, JB
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy,
Thanks bunches for posting this article. Wow, Ferrin Peterson is definitely an overachiever — equitation/dressage, veterinarian, veterinary acupuncturist and talented jockey!! All this before 30, impressive is an understatement. (also, she was NCAA Division 1 pole vaulter in college)
Great to have Julie K. in her corner, too. Good luck to Ferrin and very best wishes to Julie in her new career, too!
Hugs and Love
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
She’s a special lady. Julie too. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Goodnight. Love and Hugs, JB??????
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Here’s slideshow on the 2021 Preakness Field with photos. Enjoy.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/slideshows/249977/the-field-for-the-2021-preakness-stakes
shirleeinindy
Judy,
Thanks for the slideshow of the Preakness runners. They are all beautiful. For some reason the Japanese horse reminds me of Thunder Snow. Safe trip to all of them.
Like The Grass Is Blue in the Black Eyed Susan. Wonder why?
judy berube
Dear Shirlee:
They all sure are beautiful.
Found this photo of The Grass is Blue. This girl is all legs. Gorgeous Chestnut. Love and Hugs, JB
https://images.app.goo.gl/W9SvnRdoZxmh9emC9
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy,
Thanks for the slideshow! I am leaning toward Midnight Bourbon, but I am also thinking about the handsome gray/roan Unbridled Honor.
Good luck and safe racing to all!
Hugs and Love
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Have a pleasant evening and Happy Dreams. Love and Hugs, JB??????
Vampressqueen Sue Colvin
Hi Zsters ?
Just wanted to stop by b4 i went to bed. Been under the weather lately. But ive kept every1 in my prayerZ ?.
Happy belated bday to Judy Berube!! Hope it was good ?❗
Ive enjoyed all the links shared. ?
Im not sure who im rooting for in the preakness yet. Good luck ? to them tho☺.
Much luv ❤ to y’all. HugZ, vamp?♀️
judy berube
My Dear Vamp Sue:
Sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well. Sending healing prayers.
Thank you for the sweet birthday wishes. Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Vamp,
So sorry to hear you are not feeling well. We have missed your comments here on the blog. Hugs and Prayers going your way. keep in touch.
Kathy
Dear Vamp,
Prayers that you will soon be feeling good again!
Hugs, Kathy
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Have a wonderful day and restful night. Happy Dreams. Love and Hugs, JB??????
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Happy Friday, everyone (at least I think it’s still Friday ;-). Too many errands today. Hovey has provided a play by play account of last week’s mutilation and his ongoing disappointment that he wasn’t even ordered stall rest.
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/hovis-friday-diary-suddenly-the-mood-went-blacker-than-mothers-heart-745781
I have no clue re the Preakness. Maybe Midnight Bourbon. Haven’t heard of any of the fillies running in the Black Eyed Susan so I guess I’ll just be an interested spectator. Hope many of you are enjoying the spectacular weather that we’ve having in the Ohio valley (about time after all of the rain and SNOW of last week). Happy Weekend!
Love and hugs,
Sandy
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Sandy,
Once more, thank you for providing the Hovis report. Poor guy — sorry he couldn’t get another night at “l’hotel”. I do hope they get good lab reports.
——-
I am leaning towards Midnight Bourbon, too. Safe racing to all!
Hugs and Love
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Very astute and courageous article by Jay Hovdey. He and his wife, Julie Krone, are all about the welfare of the horse and the Sport.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/250143/on-racing-presence-of-medina-equals-no-win-preakness
Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
All H**l will break loose if Medina Spirit wins the Peakness.
judy berube
Dear Shirlee:
I hope he does win. His Derby win is in doubt because of the drug. Would be happy for the beautiful boy. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Sandy:
Thanks for our Hovis update. Poor boy was traumatized by the ordeal, but has managed to keep his sense of humor. ???
Love and Hugs, JB
Lindal
It has been confirmed that Midnight Bisou is in foal! The Daddio is Curlin!
judy berube
Dear Lindal:
Wow, great news. Thanks for sharing. Potential for greatness.
Easy and safe birth and healthy baby for beautiful Bisou. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Shirlee:
Another future Curlin baby to follow. Maybe a Derby contender in 2025. Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Judy,
I agree. This should be a royal baby. Curlin is sure a looker. His ad on America’s Day At The Races is wonderful. He looks like a real stud muffin.
Ingrid Arnone
Dear Z fans, enjoy tomorrow, great day off racing????
judy berube
Dear Ingrid:
Love and Hugs, JB
Marshall (NC Broad)
Congrats to Army Wife, Joel Rosario, Mike Maker and all connections on winning the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes! AW is a lovely bay filly, and Joel did a great job.
Congrats to Last Judgment, Jose Ortiz, Mike Maker and all connections on the Pimlico Special Stakes! They came on strong to finish first!
Mike Maker had quite a day!
Cheers and Hugs
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
Impressive win by Army Wife and Joel R. Congrats to them and LJ and J Ortiz as well. Love and Hugs, JB
Sally B. (cherish
Good morning my beautiful Zenyatta; Today is the Preakness. I wish all horses and riders a safe trip. Every time I watch a race Z, I think of you!
Love you with kisses; and to all your foals
Auntie Sally B
judy berube
Dear Sally B:
Love and Hugs, JB
shirleeinindy
Sandy,
Thanks for Hovis. Glad he is doing well. Poor Mother, he is so shameful in the way he talks about her.
Everyone have a good Preakness day. Blessings and safe trips to all the horses and jocks.
Dee in the Hudson Valley
Winning Always Wins. Will Integrity Place, or Even Show?
By Joe Drape (NYT)
Thirty dead horses at a California track. Federal indictments accusing more than two dozen trainers and veterinarians from Florida to New York of doping their animals. All in the past two and a half years.
Is there anything the sport of thoroughbred racing holds sacred?
On Sunday, we found out: the Kentucky Derby.
Almost as soon as Bob Baffert announced that his colt Medina Spirit had failed a drug test after winning the 147th running of America’s greatest race, officials of Churchill Downs made it clear that if a second sample confirmed the presence of betamethasone, a corticosteroid injected into joints to reduce pain and swelling, the colt would be disqualified and Mandaloun, the runner-up, would be declared the winner.
Apparently, Churchill Downs treasures the Derby’s status enough to come down hard on rule breakers, even one who has stood in the winner’s circle seven times.
“I would like to be optimistic about our sport but today we are an embarrassment,” tweeted Graham Motion, who trained the 2011 Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. “Perhaps we have to hit rock bottom before things get better but we only have ourselves and the leaders of our sport to blame. For anyone that loves the sport as much as I do it’s a sad day.”
While the world waits for the second test result, expected in the coming weeks, the sport is on to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes, where Medina Spirit will try to win the second leg of the Triple Crown and another Baffert horse, Concert Tour, will try to beat him.
No one should blame Medina Spirit for this mess. He did what horses are supposed to do — run fast.
In fact, feel sorry for him and his rider, John Velazquez, whose fourth Derby victory might be erased from the history books. Then again, Velazquez will be astride Medina Spirit on Saturday, with another chance to win.
Only in a sport with no central authority and with haphazardly enforced rules could a deal be brokered like the one Baffert made with the owners of Pimlico Race Course, the host of the Preakness: Medina Spirit can run if he tests clean on multiple blood samples and his veterinarian records are found to be in order.
Baffert, the Hall of Fame trainer, declared he would not be in Baltimore because he did not want to be a distraction. Or so he said.
Of course, he has said quite a few things. Over a period of 72 hours, the trainer first insisted that there was no way Medina Spirit had tested positive, then blamed cancel culture, mysterious contamination and racing officials out to get him, and finally said, Oh yeah, we gave him the drug, but we didn’t know we were doing it.
On Tuesday, Baffert acknowledged treating Medina Spirit for a rash by using an antifungal ointment called Otomax, which — to Baffert’s professed surprise — contained betamethasone.
The failed test and Baffert’s evolving explanations have shocked casual fans, provided punch lines to hosts of late night talk shows and handed more ammunition to animal rights activists who want the sport shut down altogether.
“Look at the damage this has done to our sport,” said Arthur Hancock III, a fourth-generation horse breeder. “It’s hung a dark cloud over horse racing and a dark cloud over Kentucky.”
For more than 30 years, the Hancock family was among a core of breeders and owners who pushed the sport to crack down on a culture of doping that was enabled by lax regulation. One bill after another failed to get out of Congress, thanks to reliably consistent opposition — from horse trainers, whom the bills targeted, and from racetracks that did not want the headache of federal regulation.
So what’s the fuss over a little medication? A horse on painkillers may run all-out on an injured leg because it doesn’t feel the damage. When horses break down, there is usually no bringing them back. In Southern California, 30 horses at Santa Anita Park had to be euthanized over a six-month period starting in December 2018, inflaming animal rights activists and putting the sport in the cross-hairs of law enforcement.
To say nothing of the risk to the jockeys, who go down when their mounts do.
Last year, finally, Congress passed the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which calls for a board overseen by the Federal Trade Commission to write rules and penalties to be enforced by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The agency, which regulates Olympians and other elite athletes in the United States, revealed the cyclist Lance Armstrong’s cheating and issued him a lifetime suspension in 2012. The law will take effect July 1, 2022.
If the antidoping program were in place now, this whole circus may have been avoided.
The testing labs would have met world-class standards, would have been fast and efficient — no waiting weeks for a second test result, as we will with Medina Spirit — and would have meted out tougher penalties, especially for pain medication. Deterrents like rigorous and consistent out-of-competition testing might have kept Medina Spirit out of the Derby starting gate or ensured that he entered it clean. And Baffert, stained by four other positive drug tests racked up in a little more than a year, would be facing a 180-day suspension, according to the baseline rules.
On the morning after Medina Spirit won the Derby, well before the positive test was revealed, Amanda Simmons Luby composed a tweet thread that was as prescient as the suspicions that inspired it are heartbreaking. Luby fell in love with horse racing as a little girl reading Walter Farley’s series of “Black Stallion” books. As a young woman, she entered the thoroughbred industry, working in the stables of the Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, breaking in yearlings in Ireland and working at a stallion station in central Kentucky.
She eventually went to law school and worked as an attorney, but she has returned to the sport as a breeder. A very small breeder — she has two mares. Medina Spirit was bred by a woman with a similarly modest operation and sold as a yearling for only $1,000. His current owner, Amr Zedan of Saudi Arabia, got him for a song, $35,000. But Luby could not get excited by the colt’s victory.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Derby winner where the general public is able to celebrate the victory without reservation?” her tweet thread started.
Her unease was with Baffert, who she acknowledges is personable and perhaps the greatest trainer of all time — with a record seven Derby titles and two Triple Crowns. But she could not get past his drug violations — 30 of them.
“I call it the Lance Armstrong effect, where there’s reason to question the wins,” she told me on the phone. “We sincerely hope our champions we put on this pedestal did not get there by illicit means. I’m afraid the Lance Armstrongs permeate our industry.”
And if that is true?
Seven days before the public knew that Medina Spirit had flunked a drug test, Luby knew how high the stakes were.
“If this industry has any hope of surviving, the masses (both in & out of the sport) have to believe the playing field is fair,” she wrote on Twitter under the handle Welbourne Stud, the name of her breeding business. “A good portion of us have grave concerns that it is not. Without a well-grounded sense of fairness, why spend another dime on the sport?”
For too long, principles and good intentions have finished a distant second to winning. Let’s hope it’s not too late to flip that equation.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Vampressqueen Sue Colvin
Hi Zsters ?.
?Happy preakness day?
Ill hafta watch the replay later once 8m home from treatment. ?
Happy bday to Zellda!
Man. Time sure does fly.
Take care every1!
Much luv ? HugZ ❤prayerZ ?.
Have a good wkend!
Vamp ?♀️
judy berube
Dear Vamp Sue:
Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Hope you are feeling better.
Enjoy the race.
judy berube
Dear Dee:
Indeed Medina Spirit is the victim in this, as are all horses who are abused in this way. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Goodnight. Have a peaceful evening and Happy Dreams. Love You. Hugs, JB??????
Cheryl in Bellflower
Hi Zsters! ❤ Does anyone know the name of the horse with the white face that Donna Brothers was riding while interviewing the winning jockey after the preakness?
Thanks, Cheryl
judy berube
Dear Cheryl;
I think that was Southern Phantom. I read where he was training to be a track pony after retiring from racing. He’s a Beauty.
https://images.app.goo.gl/ZkDFLs5ETszX2fBV6
Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Gorgeous!
Thanks, JB.
Cheryl, great that Donna was riding him.
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Rombauer wins the Preakness. Midnight second, Spirit third and Keepmeinmind fourth. Mikey had a troubled trip on Concert Tour.
Congrats to Rom, Jockey F. Pratt and trainer M. McCarthy. Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Congrats to Rombauer, Pratt and M. McCarthy.
Loved MM’s interview. Made me cry, too. A week of sad and happy tears!
Hope Concert is alright, read about a bleed? Hope not.
Congrats to Mean Mary. Great return.
Now I want to get Medina and put him in a big pasture, Brave, brave boy. All heart!
Love to all. Cheers.
Ann NC
Congrats to Twirling Candy and Lane’s End! Yip, Yip!
judy berube
Dear Ann:
Didn’t hear about a possible bleed with CT. Hope he’s OK.
I’m with you; Spirit, Midnight and Keep all heart; giving their all again with just two weeks between the Derby and the Preakness. Hope they all get extra treats. Love and Hugs, JB
Love and Hugs, JB
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy and Ann,
Congrats to Rombauer, Flavien Pratt, M. McCarthy and all connections! What an exciting finish!
Congrats to Midnight Bourbon, Medina and Keepmeinmind, also.
—-
The interview with Michael McCarthy touched me too, Ann. Happy tears!
The Fradkins (owners/breeders) are a small outfit, as was the breeder of Medina Spirit (Gail Rice). I enjoyed the piece about Gail Rice — her excitement and love for Medina Spirit was refreshing.
Hope everyone returned to the barn healthy❣️
Hugs and Love
shirleeinindy
Congrats to Rombauer and all the team. I love to see the small breeders win. And they said this couple had only 2 broodmares! Also, it has got to be super sweet to win with a homebred.
Hope all came out sound. Poor Medina gave it his all. I am still on the Midnight Bourbon bandwagon. He might be like Gun Runner and many others and be a better 4 year old. Hope he stays around. What about old man Arklow???
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Shirlee,
Oh Yes!! Arklow was his amazing self! Nine years and still running strong — he gave those younger guys an education.
I still like Midnight Bourbon, also.
Hugs and Love
Ann NC
JB and Zfans,
Yes, hoping Concert is alright this am.
That remark above about him was probably an “off the cuff” remark made by some railbird. So until we hear official news, I am sorry I posted it here.
Shirlee, cheers to Arklow!!! Great race for him.
Even better Preakness news in that Pratt even thanked his pony girl and lead pony. What class, how sweet to give kudos to the hard working track folks.
Love my lead ponies!
OMgosh. A difference a week makes. Feeling so much lighter and better.
Thank you Racing Gods.
judy berube
Dear Marshall, Shirlee and Ann:
Ann, have been checking for info on CT, but so far just found articles that have comment from Mikey that he was baffled by CT’s lackluster performance. Will keep looking.
Shirlee, I feel sad for Spirit too. Impressive win by Rombauer.
Congrats to Arklow; well done indeed! Love an Hugs, JB
Martha Fosdick
SURPRISE!! Rombauer wins the Preakness. Thanks Judy for mentioning that Concert Tour had a troubled trip, The replay I had made it very hard to see. A couple of things happened I wanted to mention that were overshadowed. 1) there was a horse named Dinosaur Ben who was the favorite in Race 7 on Friday that apparently suffered a leg injury and went down and was vanned off which usually doesn’t bode well. 2) In the Sir Barton Stakes Race 1 today Market Gap stumbled very badly at the start and his jockey came off. OOPS! Let’s just everybody else came back safely. I’d certainly like the Kleenex concession for all those who bet on the big names. Here’s hoping everyone has a pleasant evening with their feet up and a big cup of tea.
judy berube
Dear Martha:
So sorry about Dinosaur Ben. Hoping it wasn’t a life threatening injury. Hope Market Gap and all the other horses came back OK.
Love and Hugs, JB
Kathy
Congratulations to Rombauer on his Preakness win. Congratulations to all his connections. Your can’t help but feel bad for all the valiant efforts that just fell short.
Have a pleasant evening, everyone.
Hugs, Kathy
judy berube
Dear Kathy:
Valiant efforts indeed by all of them. Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Scroll down this article for a replay of the Preakness. Love and Hugs, JB
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/250164/rombauer-upsets-preakness-medina-spirit-third
Martha Fosdick
Once again my post for today didn’t go through so will try again. Since yesterdays posts were downers of a sort, I wanted to include some good news that’s much happier. In race 7 yesterday (Saturday) a horse named Mischief Afoot pulled an excellent example of a “Zenyatta” and came from last to first to win. If Zenyatta had been watching, I imagine she would have thought or said to herself HM just like I used to do. GOOD JOB!
judy berube
Dear Martha:
Cute name too. Congrats Mischief Afoot!
How is little Feather settling in? Love and Hugs, JB