| Recent Podcasts |
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Podcast #25: The Yearling Sales
This is the season for the major Thoroughbred yearling auction sales-first Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, then Saratoga, then Keeneland, with lots of lesser spots in between.
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Podcast #24: The Paulick Report
As I utter these words I am pleased to learn that Ellis Park, a modest but colorful and traditional old track near Evansville, Indiana, has ironed out its financial squabble with the horsemen over offsite gambling revenue. After closing for a few days
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Podcast #23: Royal Ascot
I have attended Royal Ascot a dozen times in my life and in the end I grew weary of what I found to be a staggering number of bona fide fops. But I am reminded now of what a beautiful thing horseracing can be, when conducted in a lovely, manicured setting
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Podcast #22: Doctors vs. Breeders
One of the brightest, most highly respected Thoroughbred industry figures is the former Farm Manager and President of Three Chimneys Farm-Dan Rosenberg.
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Podcast #21: Big Brown and the Triple Crown
I love the horse Big Brown. But I do not love the package that Big Brown comes in, nor the blueprint for his future. For that reason I do not see that his winning the Belmont and the Triple Crown (for the first time in thirty years) is going to be a
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Podcast #20: IEAH Stables
Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, is owned by an outfit called IEAH Stables – that’s International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, Inc. Reportedly they paid $3 million for three-fourths of Big Brown.
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Podcast #19: The Arab Dilemma
I have always been in support of the Arabs, and welcomed their participation in horse racing. I have felt that they (Sheikh Mohammed in particular) loved horses, loved the sport of horse racing, and God knows the money they’ve spent in livestock has been
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Podcast #18: Gulfstream
...But it is a sorry place now. This season, as a site for the racing of Thoroughbred horses, it has been dismal. I do not think Gulfstream's owners - Magna Entertainment Corporation (Frank Stronach) - have done much for racing. In fact, the Magna
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Podcast #17: NYRA
I don’t know that the Thoroughbred racing industry is overloaded with great administrative/executive talent. In fact, it is not – which is one reason there are trouble spots throughout the corporate landscape of horse racing.
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Podcast #16: Where are Racing's Characters?
Racing has become more bottom line oriented in recent years and the "loosey-goosiness" of the old days has diminished. Perhaps this is good. Perhaps it isn't.
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Podcast #15: Breeders' Cup Purchases
Dogwood Stable has always maintained that a healthy neighborhood in which to buy prospective racehorses is $150,000 to $300,000. I think this position is substantiated by the fact that for the first time in a while, the strength of the Keeneland September
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Podcast #14: The Age of the Myectomy
Clearly, God was in a whimsical mood when He designed the bodily structure of the Thoroughbred racehorse. He put half a ton of obstreperous muscle mass on relatively frail legs, more suited to supporting a German Police Dog. He also did some strange
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Podcast #13: Nicknames and Other Musings
Recently, a well known turf writer in California called me because he was doing a column on racetrack characters and their nicknames. He had observed that there were very few nicknames in this day and time, and he wondered if I could supply him with an
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Podcast #12: Potpourri
This will be a potpourri of what we laughingly call “Gems of Wisdom.”
The only Dogwood accomplishments of Kentucky Derby weekend were that two of the major players – and the winner – got started in horse racing as Dogwood partners. Jim Tafel,
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Podcast #11: Wallenda
My story today is a warm, fuzzy tale about a horse named Wallenda. In 1992 I bought a two-year-old by Gulch out of a mare named So Glad, paying $43,000 for him. We named him Wallenda
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Podcast #10: Eclipse Awards
The Eclipse Awards - Thoroughbred racing's Oscars - have just concluded. With all due gratitude to TVG for presenting this gala evening on the air, the truth is it was not very gala.
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Podcast #9: Hooray for Jockeys
When Russell Baze rode his 9,531st winner, breaking Laffit Pincay Jr.'s astounding record, it caused this admirer to reflect on how these remarkable athletes ply their trade.
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Podcast #8: NYRA
The very heartbeat of American racing resounds loudest in New York. It has always been the bellwether, the glamour spot for the racing of Thoroughbred horses. Therefore, how shocking it is that there is frightening arrhythmia in that heartbeat today. Who
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Podcast #7: What It's All About
We are entering an especially exciting time in horse racing: the Breeders' Cup approaches, and major prep races around the country bring together our greatest racehorses.
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Podcast #6: Saratoga vs. Lexington
I am a Director of an outfit called Concerned Citizens for Saratoga Racing. The purpose of this organization is to try to maintain the historic tradition and purity of the wonderful old Saratoga Race Course and its annual seven-week meeting in late summer
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Podcast #5: Veterinarians
Years ago when I was in the advertising agency business, I remember well the head of a large company saying that once he spent $20 million a year on advertising and half of it was wasted—but the problem was he didn't know which half. Well, I think
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Podcast #4: Technology and Horse Sense
Years ago I used to make speeches about the charm of the horse business saying that one of the most attractive features was that it did not lend itself to the use of computers. Now admittedly I’m somewhat of a dinosaur. That is still true though, but
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Podcast #3: Jockeys' Guild Thoughts
I am most appreciative of jockeys. The only athletes who have a tougher life than jockeys are steeplechase jockeys. They are insanely brave.
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Podcast #2: Belmont Stakes Musings
I am just back from Belmont Park where I saw the Belmont Stakes, and I am very disappointed that a lot of good horses didn't run in that race. I have some observations about that and about the fact that we are in an era today in racing where horses don't
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Podcast #1: Sales Integrity Program
In August of 2004, I was asked to be Chairman of an industry task force made up of leading breeders, consignors, owners, vets, and sales personnel – the purpose was to come up with a Code of Ethics, primarily concerning conduct at Thoroughbred auction
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