- 12 hours ago
Fresh off scoring a Pegasus World Cup exacta with Skippylongstocking and White Abarrio, Saffie Joseph joined us on this week’s TDN Writers’ Room to recap the win and discuss plans for both horses’ future.
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00:10Kim.
00:15Welcome to another edition of the TV.
00:21My name is Bill Finley.
00:22I'm a correspondent for the Thoroughbred Daily News.
00:25And I'm freezing here in the Northeast with eight feet of, not eight feet, I exaggerated,
00:29eight inches.
00:30Of snow on the ground and temperatures in the 20, but to Randy Moss, that's a balmy.
00:35Winter day in Minnesota, right, Randy?
00:37You get no sympathy from me whatsoever.
00:40I'm in suburban Minneapolis, which is in the news for all the wrong reasons.
00:45Also, besides the weather, but anyway, we won't go there.
00:47One of the high temperature on one of the days last.
00:50When fortunately, I was in Miami for the Pegasus was nine.
00:55But we got no additional snow.
00:57We got plenty out there right now, but it's just cold here.
01:00And Zoe Cabman is down still in Florida working at the Ocala sale this week.
01:05So.
01:05So we'll welcome her back next week.
01:07So the big story of the week among the big stories.
01:10Of course, we had the Pegasus World Cup, and we'll talk about more about that with our
01:13Gainesway guest of the week.
01:15Kathy Joseph, but we're the Eclipse Awards.
01:17And for the most part, Randy, I didn't find.
01:20There to be many surprises.
01:22The one that I disagree with is forever.
01:25Young being named the older male horse.
01:27We're going to talk about, I'll talk more about that later.
01:30And give you some of the reasons why I didn't think that was the right choice.
01:34But.
01:35Again, you know, no real issues other than that.
01:38But some of the races to me.
01:40The vote totals were sort of surprising.
01:44I voted.
01:45I voted for Flavian Prep.
01:46I never thought in a million years he would just trounce Irod Ortiz.
01:49Right.
01:50My horse, Bookum Dano, he won.
01:55Slip by a nose, 115 to 82.
02:00Over Bentonado, that was a little bit surprising to me that that margin was so close.
02:05The other one, and I didn't know where to go with this.
02:08The trainer race was so.
02:10Wide open.
02:11I voted for Brad Cox, so I didn't get that one right.
02:15But I can't say I disagree with anybody who voted for Bill Mott, the work that he did with sovereignty.
02:20This year, I thought was tremendous.
02:22But Cox's numbers in terms of.
02:25Graded races won and money won were much greater than Mott's.
02:30That's the reason why I went with him.
02:31But that was an 85 to 50 race.
02:34So, Randy.
02:35How about you?
02:36You know, what's your take from the Eclipse Awards and anything in particular?
02:40That you disagree with?
02:42Not really.
02:42I mean, first of all, I'm shocked.
02:45I'm shocked that you don't have your Bookum Dano t-shirt on, Bill.
02:48I mean, of all occasions.
02:50That you want to wear it.
02:51I'm under strict orders not to wear it, by the way.
02:53Okay.
02:55But it's topical.
02:55We always want to be topical on this podcast.
02:58You can't.
02:58And I actually thought.
02:59I.
03:00What was the margin again?
03:011.13 to 82?
03:031.15 to 82.
03:05I didn't think that's that close.
03:08I mean, it's not like it came down to, you know.
03:10Five or six votes or something like that.
03:12I mean, so I thought it was a fairly decisive one.
03:15Win for Bookum Dano.
03:16And I could totally understand it.
03:19I was.
03:20Most interested to see what people would do in the jockey and training.
03:25You know, it's not very often, at least not in my memory.
03:30That you had the trainer and the.
03:35The jockey leading money earners for the year, neither.
03:40Be given an Eclipse Award, right?
03:43Because I read Ortiz in a.
03:45Razor thin, by a razor thin margin, won the purse earnings.
03:50Title among jockeys over Flavian Pratt.
03:53According to Equibase, it was by like.
03:55$36,000.
03:56I think I read somewhere $1,600.
03:58But Equibase has it at $36,000.
04:00Which is still a margin of nine-tenths of one percent.
04:05And, you know, I always thought that so many people just kind of blindly took who was on top.
04:10Of the money standings.
04:11And voted for them for champion jockey.
04:14But, you know, kudos.
04:15Kudos to the voters this year for digging a little bit deeper.
04:18I mean, Flavian Pratt had about 400.
04:20Fewer mounts than I read Ortiz.
04:22He had 10 more graded stakes wins.
04:24He had 10 more.
04:25Regular stakes wins.
04:26He had a higher win percentage.
04:28He had higher average earnings.
04:30Per mount, obviously.
04:31So, in all the, you know, the major races, I think.
04:35Flavian Pratt had a pretty significant advantage.
04:37But there's one other thing I want to point out about I read.
04:40You know, back in the day, in my opinion, people pay.
04:45A lot more attention to the races won championship.
04:50Among jockeys than they do now.
04:52Now it all seems to be a.
04:55About the earnings and who finishes the year with the highest money earned.
04:59And you don't hear.
05:00Very much at all about the win standings.
05:04The races won standings.
05:05And this is remarkable.
05:07I read Ortiz has now topped.
05:10The country in races won for nine consecutive years.
05:15That's unprecedented.
05:16Five had been the previous record.
05:19And he just continued.
05:20He continues to rack up races won titles.
05:22So, even though he didn't get any Clipse Award.
05:24I think I.
05:25Deserves a lot of recognition for, once again, coming out on top in that category.
05:29Yeah.
05:29I mean, this.
05:30It was a category where there was no wrong answer.
05:32I mean, they both had tremendous years.
05:33And.
05:35Another thing, Randy, that I took into account in my vote.
05:37And I took into account.
05:39Well.
05:40Largely the things that you brought up about how Pratt had fewer mounts.
05:45He actually had a higher winning percentage and his average.
05:50Earnings per race was quite a bit higher.
05:53So, those were all.
05:54But I.
05:54Another thing.
05:55That I took into account that I don't know if this mattered to a lot of voters.
05:59But it did matter to me.
06:00Was that he set that record at Aqueduct with the seven winners the day after the breeder.
06:05And, you know, New York racing has been around for hundreds of years.
06:09And.
06:10You know, and has included, you know, a who's who of some of the greatest writers.
06:15And the history of the game, including your partner on television, Jerry Bailey.
06:18And he did something that had never.
06:20Been done there before.
06:21I mean, some people may argue that the Naira riding.
06:25Colony isn't what it used to be because so many top writers have left for including the Ortiz.
06:30Brothers have left for Kentucky.
06:33But nonetheless, I thought that.
06:35That was something that I would have probably voted for him anyways.
06:37But that was was one more to me.
06:40You know, reason to go in that direction.
06:42Yeah, I mean, they're both just absolutely sensational.
06:45And so, yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens the rest now of 2020.
06:50We shall see.
06:51All right.
06:51So I want to bring up my beef.
06:53And I wrote this in the Thoroughbred Daily News.
06:55And this is something that I've been talking about before and my friend.
07:00My co-host on the Down the Stretch show, Dave Johnson, completely.
07:05We've been arguing about this for 10 years.
07:08But I could not vote for.
07:10Forever Young for the Older Male Championship.
07:13And he also got seven.
07:1517 horse of the year votes, which, going against sovereignty, I didn't get that at all.
07:20Because I have I take a stand.
07:22I will not vote for any horse.
07:25That has not had more than one start in the United States of America.
07:29Now, you know, some.
07:30People say, wait a minute.
07:30He won the Saudi Cup.
07:31He did this.
07:32He won that big race in Japan beforehand.
07:34That.
07:35To me, that doesn't matter.
07:36All that matters is what you or it shouldn't matter.
07:40All that matters to me is what you did in North America.
07:45Which boils down to one race.
07:47And I don't think that I would.
07:50Winner of just one race is deserving of a championship.
07:53And I think the Eclipse Award.
07:55Eclipse Award has lost its way over the years.
07:57That it was always supposed to be about the.
08:00Of course, who had the best overall year.
08:02I mean, nobody races from January.
08:05To December, I understand that.
08:06But, you know, that sort of idea from the start of 2020.
08:10To the end of 2025, who did the most.
08:13Now, having said that, this was a.
08:15Very difficult category because it was extremely weak.
08:19Sierra Leone.
08:20Sierra Leone came in second and he won one race all year long.
08:24Nice.
08:25Eclipse came in third.
08:26I think he actually had better credentials than Sierra Leone.
08:29At least he won a.
08:30A Breeders' Cup race.
08:31But what I advocated.
08:33And I doubt anybody's going to.
08:35Listen to me because they usually don't.
08:37But there needs to be a rule that you.
08:40If you don't race at least two times in North America, you're not eligible.
08:45And he's the 24th horse to win the award, an Eclipse award, without having more.
08:50More than one start in the U.S.
08:51And what I bring up, our friends in Canada have a completely different take.
08:55For the sovereign awards, you have to run three times in Canada to be eligible.
09:00For that award.
09:01So they're even stricter than this so-called bill.
09:05Finley rule that is my personal rule.
09:07But that's my take on it.
09:09And it's.
09:10It's not meant to denigrate forever young.
09:12I understand what a good horse he is.
09:14And I also understand why.
09:15Voters probably struggle with this category because, again, I said it really.
09:20He didn't have a strong cane.
09:21I voted for Mindframe.
09:22He didn't even make the top three in the vote.
09:25And I voted for him because he had two grade one stakes.
09:27Randy, am I on to something?
09:28Do you think I'm crazy?
09:29Well, yeah.
09:30He didn't vote for notable speech either, right?
09:31No, he ran two times in North America.
09:34Oh, that's.
09:35That's right.
09:35That he went in Canada.
09:36The Woodbine Mile.
09:36Right, right, right.
09:37I did vote for him.
09:38He did not defy the Bill Finley rule.
09:40There you go.
09:40Okay.
09:42Yeah.
09:42As you pointed out, I mean, it's been going on a long time.
09:45I mean, you can go back to the 1980s and you can find horses that.
09:50Um, including like, I think maybe three years in a row for champion.
09:55Uh, male turf horse where, uh, voters went for horses like high chaparral.
10:00Twice in a row, Goldokova twice in a row, who just had one start.
10:05North America.
10:05So this has been, this has been going on.
10:07It's been going on forever.
10:08I would have, I would have.
10:10I would have nothing against, um, the Bill Finley rule.
10:15Um, but I, you know, to me, it, I'm not going to just come.
10:20Come out and say, Oh, it's ridiculous that you, you know, I, I, I found this interesting.
10:24The.
10:25The Japanese horse of the year award was given at roughly the same time.
10:30As the American horse of the year award.
10:32And you know who won it forever young.
10:35You know how many times he ran in Japan?
10:36One time.
10:37Right.
10:38Once.
10:39So it's.
10:40Then they need to change the rules in Japan.
10:42Okay.
10:45But, but that's my thing.
10:47And, and look, you know, again, I, I, I get it.
10:50The game has changed and, but I, I don't think that, you know, obviously his Saudi.
10:55Saudi cup, uh, win had a lot to do with this.
10:59Um.
11:00On top of his breeders cup, win.
11:01I just don't think that what horses accomplish.
11:04Right.
11:04And.
11:05Saudi Arabia, Dubai, or wherever, or in Europe, um, is I, I think it again, defies the.
11:10The spirit of, of what the eclipse awards are all about.
11:13And again, I, I'm not.
11:15I, I'm not calling anybody who voted for him, you know, uh, uh, I'm not going to cast.
11:20I'm not going to say they made a bad vote because there are no rules and there are no
11:24rules.
11:25That, that, so if there are no rules, do whatever you want, vote for everyone.
11:27I, I totally get it.
11:28I just think that maybe.
11:30Um, uh, you know, whoever does make up these rules and I don't even begin, couldn't even
11:34begin to tell you.
11:35Um, who is behind the mysterious eclipse award committee or, or whatnot.
11:40But, uh, maybe they should give this some thought because I, I, I think that we are,
11:43uh, getting away.
11:45From, from what the intent of the eclipse awards was, was really supposed to be, at least back
11:49in the 1940s.
11:50When, uh, I first came around horse racing.
11:52And by the way, uh, forever young now becomes.
11:55Part of a, uh, part of a trivia question, right?
11:57Name the three horses who were.
12:00Named eclipse award winners for dirt racing, having run just.
12:05One time in the country during that calendar year.
12:08And that would be forever young, obviously.
12:10The other two were a Rossi in 1991 when he, you know, his.
12:15Third of course in the breeders cup juvenile five length win.
12:17And then, uh, Johannesburg, right?
12:20Who also won the breeders cup.
12:21I think that one was at Arlington park.
12:22If I, if I recall correctly, but yeah, those.
12:25Those are the three on dirt, all the other ones, the other 20 something that you mentioned,
12:28uh, we're all on.
12:30In grass categories and from Europe or in the case of loves only you.
12:35Another horse from Japan.
12:36From Japan.
12:36Correct.
12:37All right.
12:37Well, let's not get, I'm not going to try to get too.
12:40carried away with this.
12:40I would just like to have my say about that.
12:43Uh, we've got plenty more.
12:45More to go here on the TDN writers room podcast.
12:47After this, we'll go to our Gainesway guests of the week.
12:50Which is, uh, our friend Saffy Joseph Jr.
12:52Who had such a good, uh, afternoon at.
12:55The, uh, Pegasus world cup.
12:56And then, uh, we'll be right back.
12:58Stay with us.
12:59The TDN writers.
13:00The TDN writers room is brought to you by Keeneland.
13:02Keeneland will offer a record 9.55 million.
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13:10Opening day features the grade one $750,000 Ashland stakes.
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13:35We do this so your granddaughter can work on a farm someday.
13:40So the stands will still be packed in 50 years.
13:44That's why we.
13:45We come to work every day, obsess over every single detail.
13:50Because the story of racing is written one moment.
13:55One at a time.
13:56And the future of our industry deserves.
14:00Nothing less.
14:01Keeneland.
14:02Every moment matters.
14:05The fastest horse of the week brought to you, as always, by the fast sires at Windstar Farm.
14:10This week, the spotlight is on the chart-topping stallion.
14:12Get that.
14:13Timberlake, as in Justin Timberlake.
14:15Timberlake, as a two-year-old, Timberlake was a close second in the hopeful that he won the sire.
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14:24Timberlake is one of.
14:25Only three grade one winning two-year-olds by super sire into mischief.
14:30That stud right now.
14:31The other two being Practical Joke and Citizen Bull.
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14:44And best of all.
14:45Timberlake stands at Windstar for a fee of $15,000.
14:50The fastest horse on the week ran on the Pegasus World Cup undercard.
14:53The Dolphins.
14:55Knight Bridge was, again, tremendously impressive.
14:58This time winning the Fred Hooper Steaks.
15:00By four and three quarters lengths over a field that also included the highly regarded life.
15:05And times those two five-year-olds dueled early in hot fractions before nine.
15:10Knight Bridge kicked away and life and times faded to finish third.
15:14In its most recent.
15:15Season start before this.
15:16Knight Bridge won the Mr. Prospector Steaks with the 104 Buyer Saturday.
15:20His winning buyer was 105.
15:23Bill Mott said, we've been winning a long time.
15:25For the source to show what he can do.
15:27Knight Bridge, a son of Nyquist, has now won five.
15:30Five times and seven starts.
15:35Welcome in now the Gainesway Guest of the Week.
15:39And no surprise.
15:40Considering what happened last weekend in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational.
15:43Safi Joseph finished.
15:45Won two in that race.
15:46And we welcome in today as our Gainesway Guest of the Week again.
15:50Safi, congratulations on a tremendous afternoon, a tremendous performance.
15:55From you two horses.
15:57We'll certainly want to talk about Skippy Longstocking.
15:59But I.
16:00I want to start with why to burial because your reaction after the race was.
16:05Was so, let me search for the right word, I think emotional.
16:10About how well he ran and how proud you were of him.
16:14And he did run a great.
16:15Tell us more about why you felt that way.
16:18Just because everything he's been through.
16:20There was a lot of pressure.
16:21I mean, as you know, his high profile scratch at the British Cup mile.
16:25As he got under the track.
16:28So, it went something like.
16:30Whether that happens or horse crash.
16:31There is a reason that the vets had this.
16:34That did.
16:35He said that they were going to scratch him.
16:36Whether the region's legit or not.
16:39So, after that.
16:40You have to go through all these protocols where you have to make sure that you.
16:45Over this horse, top, head to toe.
16:47You have many different people.
16:48Look at him.
16:50Almost every person you look at a horse is going to have a different opinion.
16:53So, just to go through all.
16:55That and then the horse was good until Thanksgiving.
16:57And then Thanksgiving, we're searching to try to get.
17:00You're searching for something that's not basically there.
17:02And that's the worst thing you can do as far as training.
17:05And then Thanksgiving, we're searching for something that's not going to happen.
17:10It's a different type of shoe.
17:10We're heading back to Nalon's shoes.
17:12And that was the biggest mistake we went.
17:14Because we went from being.
17:15Being good until it was a couple of weeks where we were way behind schedule.
17:19And Ian McKinley came in from New York.
17:22And he looked at him and he said.
17:23He was.
17:24He would get him.
17:24He would get him how we want him.
17:25And he did a marvelous job.
17:27So, I think all the credit goes to him basically.
17:29In that aspect.
17:31Yeah.
17:32Again, we'll talk about.
17:33I'm going to skip you in a second.
17:34But I want to follow up on why to Barrio.
17:36I mean, my gosh.
17:37This horse has personally.
17:38He persevered through so much in his career.
17:42I remember back when he was a three-year-old.
17:43And he kept.
17:43He kept getting sick before all of the big prep races at Gulfstream Park.
17:48He kept getting sick before all of the big prep races at Gulfstream Park.
17:48And it compromised his training.
17:51And yet, he would win anyway.
17:53He.
17:53He would overcome it anyway.
17:55And I remember when Rick Dutrow had him during that period of time.
17:58And being at the Breeders' Cup Classic with him.
18:03And Rick was beside himself throughout the lead up for that.
18:08race telling us that, you know, yes, you have to pay special attention.
18:13Why to Barrio's feet, you know, you really got to stay on top of it.
18:18And he said, we are all over it.
18:20But these veterinarians are absolutely turning him inside out.
18:23And he was worried that they were going to scratch him before the Breeders' Cup Classic.
18:28And then.
18:28And then we get the dirt mile.
18:30So.
18:32Yeah.
18:32And we were hearing.
18:33Before the Pegasus, that there was a chance that the veterinarians might pull the.
18:38The same thing that happened in the Breeders' Cup dirt mile.
18:41How much pressure was that on you?
18:42Yeah.
18:43How much pressure was that on you?
18:43Yeah.
18:44So.
18:45You brought up a very good point.
18:46And if you go back on the history of the horse.
18:48That.
18:48That.
18:48I'm making an assessment of a horse.
18:50You have to know the horse.
18:51And you have to know his history.
18:52And the history is very important.
18:53Of knowing their gait.
18:56After the Breeders' Cup, I was able to look at all the.
18:58Veterinary checks he's had in every race.
19:01And it's basically.
19:03The similar.
19:03Common all the time.
19:05So it's like.
19:06If they were following the history of horse.
19:07And using the data.
19:08That's.
19:08Very important.
19:10It would have never got to this point.
19:12But.
19:12You bring up the Breeders' Cup.
19:13I remember dealing.
19:15Talking to Mark and Clint Cornett.
19:16During that week.
19:17And.
19:17They didn't know.
19:18They made him do.
19:18A PET scan.
19:20Which we did.
19:21In the Breeders' Cup mile again.
19:22And the PET scan.
19:23In.
19:2325.
19:24Was actually better than the PET scan.
19:26In 23.
19:27So when you have a.
19:28A baseline PET scan.
19:30And it's better two years after.
19:33It.
19:33It didn't need to.
19:35The horse did not need to be scratched on his track.
19:37If he was going to be scratched.
19:38He could have been scratched.
19:38Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
19:41And.
19:42Or Saturday morning.
19:43And if you had to let him on this track.
19:46Where you felt.
19:47That you had to scratch.
19:48Well, as he got on the track.
19:50Then he shouldn't have been on the track.
19:52And that was.
19:52That was the reason that.
19:53The whole week.
19:54I mean.
19:55I met with the authorities.
19:55I told him.
19:56If you all have anything wrong with this horse.
19:57I'll scratch him right now.
19:58On the Monday.
19:59Before we did the PET scan.
20:00I said.
20:00I'll scratch him right now.
20:01And I'll put him back on a plane.
20:02He does not need to run.
20:03I just don't want to be led along to the last minute.
20:07And then you scratch him.
20:08On.
20:09I never envisioned the last minute would be on the track.
20:12So.
20:13Look.
20:13It's done.
20:15It's gone.
20:16It created.
20:17As I said.
20:18A lot of pressure.
20:19He had to obviously come back.
20:20And every workout.
20:20After that.
20:21You work the horse.
20:22I mean.
20:22Everything is.
20:23It's.
20:23Checking up.
20:24But.
20:25There is pressure.
20:26You don't want something to happen to the horse.
20:28And then someone.
20:28Say.
20:29Oh.
20:29I told you.
20:30Oh.
20:30We told you that.
20:31I mean.
20:31And that can happen to any horse.
20:33On any given date.
20:34Vice versa.
20:35You don't want the horse to go out there.
20:36And run.
20:37Performance wise.
20:38And run 10 for 11.
20:38Because.
20:39It's going to be the same kind of.
20:41Naysay talk after.
20:42It's always easy to talk after.
20:44And before.
20:45It's a lot harder.
20:47And thank God the horse went out there and showed up.
20:48And ran big.
20:50And I think he earned a lot of respect in everyone's eyes.
20:52And in my eyes.
20:53Most definitely.
20:54Because I did not know how he would run.
20:56Yeah.
20:56But it just shows when they're so classy.
20:58Did they come.
20:58And overcome anything.
21:00And I don't want to diminish.
21:02You know.
21:02Minimize.
21:03Minimize.
21:03Skippy Longstocking's performance in any way.
21:06But.
21:07Given the fact that.
21:07Why DeBarrio hadn't started.
21:08Since that Jockey Club Gold Cup.
21:10And now he was running a mile and an eighth.
21:12You know.
21:13As good a trainer.
21:13As you are.
21:14I mean.
21:14I thought the last eighth of a mile.
21:16He might have just.
21:17Run out of gas.
21:18Just a little bit.
21:18Yeah.
21:19Yeah.
21:20Yeah.
21:20I agree.
21:21Like.
21:22At the half mile pool.
21:23He was going well.
21:23And I said he's going well.
21:25But he's going to get ready to stop.
21:27And I had a quarter pool.
21:28I.
21:28Realized he was going to win the race.
21:30And I was like.
21:31This.
21:31It still doesn't make sense.
21:32He can't win this race.
21:33He's.
21:33He's.
21:33He's not supposed to win.
21:35Like.
21:35In that aspect.
21:36And then I looked to see who could beat him.
21:38And then.
21:38And then that's where I saw Skippy.
21:40And I realized Skippy had a chance to beat him.
21:43Look.
21:43I.
21:43Like.
21:44They're both my horses.
21:45Skippy.
21:45Deserve his.
21:45His.
21:46His day.
21:46Obviously.
21:47But.
21:48I've never really had.
21:48That feeling like.
21:49Been had two horses in the race.
21:50But.
21:51But.
21:51I actually wanted to bury that point.
21:53To keep going.
21:53But.
21:54Skippy got his day.
21:55And a barrier run just as big.
21:58So.
21:58So Safi.
21:59You've mentioned all the problems you had going back to the Breeders' Cup.
22:03And I'm sure.
22:03Randy was hearing the same things.
22:05The clockers were saying they didn't like the way the horse was training.
22:08Randy.
22:08It heard rumors that perhaps he would be scratched again.
22:11What.
22:12So we talked about the.
22:13What had gone.
22:13Wrong.
22:15We talked about what you were worried about.
22:16What went right.
22:18You know.
22:18What turned the corner for this horse.
22:21What did you do as a trainer.
22:23To get him to.
22:23Perform to pretty much the best of his abilities.
22:27I don't do any.
22:28Credit for it.
22:29I think the horse.
22:30I think Ian McKinley.
22:32He deserves.
22:33All the credit.
22:34As I said.
22:35We were good.
22:35After the Breeders' Cup model.
22:36We were good.
22:37We were good up to Thanksgiving.
22:38We worked him off the vet list.
22:40And then after that.
22:42Obviously.
22:43He got cleared.
22:43For the vet list.
22:44After that.
22:45We went trying to change.
22:46Something to try to get.
22:48Be.
22:48More than good.
22:49And.
22:50And that's the worst thing you could do.
22:51As a trainer.
22:52Because we were strict.
22:52We were.
22:53We were.
22:53We were.
22:53Troubling things that needed.
22:55They need to be troubled.
22:56And.
22:57We created a big problem after that.
22:58And.
22:58That's why we ran out of time to run.
23:00Not to run into Mr. Prospector.
23:02When we entered the Mr. Prospector.
23:03We knew.
23:04We were behind schedule.
23:05But we wanted to have the option open.
23:07Because we really wanted to give him a prep.
23:08To have him fitness wise there.
23:12But just.
23:12Yeah.
23:13I think.
23:13Ian McKinley deserves a lot of credit.
23:17A lot of credit for it.
23:18His exercise writer.
23:19Vincente Gudiel.
23:20That gets on him every day.
23:22I mean.
23:23I think that.
23:23His feedback was important.
23:25Because he was telling me.
23:27Towards the end.
23:28He was like.
23:29We're just as good as.
23:31As last year.
23:32We're just as good as last year.
23:33As a trainer.
23:35You always feel like.
23:36You can do more.
23:36You can do more.
23:37I wasn't getting that feeling.
23:38I wasn't getting that feeling.
23:38But.
23:40He was obviously right.
23:41He was right.
23:42Because he's on the horse every day.
23:43And.
23:43He knows what he's feeling.
23:46So.
23:46I think all those guys.
23:48Deserve all the credit.
23:48I mean.
23:49For me.
23:50I can't take any credit.
23:51Because.
23:52I.
23:52I didn't.
23:53I was looking at it.
23:55I wasn't looking at it.
23:56With a clear mind.
23:57I was overthinking it.
23:58And when you overthink things.
24:00Training horses.
24:01That's not the way you're supposed to.
24:02Train a horse.
24:03So.
24:03I'm just grateful that everything went to plan.
24:06And the horse showed up around good.
24:08Well.
24:09You won't take credit.
24:10But we'll be glad to give you some credit.
24:12For running one, two.
24:13And.
24:13The Pegasus World Cup.
24:14And not only that.
24:16You.
24:16You.
24:16You did it with two seven-year-olds.
24:18Who are still running at a very high level.
24:22In the case of Skippy Longstocking.
24:23Running as well or better.
24:25Than he's ever run before.
24:27So.
24:27He had run in.
24:28I think.
24:28Eleven.
24:29Maybe this was the eleventh.
24:30But previous grade one stakes races.
24:33Without a grade one.
24:33One win.
24:35How.
24:35I know you guys really wanted it for him.
24:37How significant is it for him.
24:39And his future.
24:40Let's say it's stud.
24:42Yeah.
24:43I mean.
24:43I mean.
24:43The exaggerator hurts him.
24:46Being by exaggerator as a style.
24:47That definitely hurts him.
24:49But his mirror has become a really good producer.
24:51A producer.
24:53She's.
24:53She's had all the basic stakes.
24:55Or greatest stakes winners.
24:57So.
24:57He has a lot.
24:58A lot of help.
24:58On the female side.
25:00Getting a grade one.
25:00I think helps him.
25:01Now.
25:02Especially winning a grade one.
25:03Like the Pegasus.
25:04I think it will get him some kind of silent thing.
25:06Down the line.
25:07Whether it be in a small.
25:08Outer state.
25:10But.
25:10It definitely adds to his resume of.
25:13He was a.
25:13He was.
25:13Precocious enough to run five times as a two-year-old.
25:16He broke his maiden as a two-year-old.
25:18And then he's.
25:18He's able to.
25:20Get good.
25:21And stay good.
25:22For such a long time.
25:23And that's unique.
25:23I mean.
25:23And it shows his mentality.
25:25And his ability to stay song.
25:27And those are.
25:28Two brews that you want in the breed going forward.
25:31Now.
25:32He would have had in August.
25:33To.
25:33January layoff.
25:35But you managed to get a race into him.
25:36In the Harlins holiday.
25:38And you.
25:38Said going into that race.
25:40And after the race.
25:41That he was not a hundred percent fit.
25:43That you were going to use that race as a stepping stone.
25:46To get him ready.
25:46For the Pegasus.
25:47And that worked out perfectly.
25:48Perfectly.
25:49Right?
25:50Yeah.
25:50He had.
25:51Everything went right for him.
25:52So going into the Harlins holiday.
25:53He was kind of like.
25:53I'll borrow you going into the Pegasus.
25:55You were.
25:56You were getting there.
25:57But you're coming off a very.
25:58Well Abari wasn't coming off a bad run.
26:00But he was coming off a bad run.
26:02At Charles Stone.
26:03That you need.
26:03To see him run well.
26:04Before you could have confidence.
26:06After.
26:07When he won the Harlins holiday.
26:08After.
26:08We felt good.
26:10And we felt like he should move forward quite a bit.
26:13On.
26:13His.
26:13His rankings are the number actually.
26:15The Harlins holiday came out pretty fast.
26:16For an inside trip.
26:17I think he ran a four in the Harlins holiday.
26:18Which.
26:18Which is very fast for an inside trip.
26:21On.
26:21He did amazing from there.
26:23He gave us all the.
26:23Confidence into the Pegasus.
26:25That he was going to run.
26:25One of his best races.
26:27But.
26:27You never know until they do it.
26:28But he definitely did run his best race.
26:31In my opinion.
26:32In his life.
26:33I think.
26:33I think.
26:33I think.
26:33Taking him back has made a big difference.
26:35Riding him more patiently.
26:36And Tyler gave him a great right.
26:38Now Safi.
26:40Have you decided yet.
26:41What you're going to do with these two.
26:42Have you planned out any.
26:43Plans going forward for them?
26:46Nothing's really set in Zona.
26:48There's a.
26:48Possibility.
26:49One of them could go to Dubai.
26:51I think.
26:52They'll probably talk it over to.
26:53Ownership group more this week.
26:55And then.
26:55And then one of them will go to the.
26:57The Oakland hand.
26:58Cap.
26:59So.
26:59Okay.
27:00I think those would probably be the two races.
27:02Like.
27:02If White of Bars.
27:03Most.
27:03Likely probably because something like the Oakland handicap.
27:07And Skippy could go to Dubai.
27:08And if you decided to go to the Oakland handicap with Skippy.
27:13He's.
27:13Won that before.
27:14He wanted two.
27:16He wanted two years ago in 2024.
27:18And one of the.
27:18Best races of his life to that date.
27:21So yeah.
27:21Yeah.
27:21That day was like a great one.
27:23And I.
27:23Like he had run fast enough in some races that.
27:26He.
27:26He.
27:27He.
27:27You would think he could win a great.
27:28Grade one.
27:29And that Oakland handicap was one of the days that.
27:31I.
27:31I think if it was.
27:33If he was running again.
27:33Like there was a great one horses in there.
27:35Obviously first mission came back.
27:36I'm in a great one.
27:36I think.
27:37Or Highland Falls.
27:38One of them.
27:38So.
27:40He.
27:40He was definitely capable on the day.
27:42And Pegasus day.
27:43This year proved to be it.
27:46And Safi.
27:47You've talked about.
27:47We've asked you about the.
27:48The future of Skippy Longstocking so far as his stud career.
27:53But to me.
27:53Why to bury.
27:53It falls into somewhat of the same group.
27:56He's had a better career than Skippy Longstock.
27:58But he too is not by a fashionable sire.
28:01You mentioned Exaggerator with Skippy Longstock.
28:03Skippy Longstocking race day with.
28:05Why to burial.
28:06If he were by intimacy.
28:07If he would have been.
28:08A gun runner who had been retired a long time ago.
28:11Do you and the ownership feel.
28:13Many phone calls from farms.
28:15That are looking for him.
28:17And have you decided this is going to be as.
28:18Last year.
28:19What do you think his future as a sire might be.
28:22Yeah.
28:22I think with both of them.
28:23This is.
28:23This is most likely going to be their last year.
28:25It would be very unlikely to run at eight.
28:27I mean.
28:28Hopefully.
28:28Hopefully they can stay sound and run unhealthy.
28:31And run through to seven year old year.
28:32And I think it would be.
28:33A good.
28:36For them to go off next year to be stud.
28:38He's got.
28:38He's got offers.
28:39But nothing that the owners thought.
28:41Like what would.
28:43That they.
28:43The thought basically how you explained that.
28:46It was good enough for him.
28:47You mean to put him in a spot to.
28:48To succeed.
28:51So.
28:52He definitely has a great resume.
28:53He's won the British Cup class at the Whitney.
28:55The Pegasus.
28:56The Florida Derby.
28:57So.
28:58To have.
28:58A horse with that resume.
29:00It's.
29:01There's not many that have that kind of resume.
29:03And.
29:03Hopefully he does get his chance.
29:06I think this race.
29:06Running second in the Pegasus.
29:08Doing what he did.
29:08Should even.
29:11Substantiate that even more.
29:13We.
29:13We.
29:13We.
29:13Like to go deep.
29:15And get into the real nuts and bolts.
29:16And the real nitty gritty.
29:17So we don't ask this.
29:18Question very often.
29:20Around the barn.
29:21From a personality standpoint.
29:23What are these two horses like?
29:25Quite a barrio and Skippy Longstocking.
29:28So.
29:28White up barrio.
29:29He.
29:29He has a different person.
29:31Like.
29:31Since we put him.
29:32The goal with him.
29:33It's.
29:33Personality is much more.
29:36Likeable.
29:37Sometimes.
29:37Like.
29:38Before he had the goal.
29:39Like.
29:39He could be.
29:39Almost like.
29:40You almost.
29:41You would almost say.
29:42He want to be cocky.
29:43Or a jerk.
29:44Like.
29:45In certain aspects.
29:47But.
29:47He's very.
29:48Very smart mentally.
29:49The horse.
29:50Like.
29:50He's so smart.
29:52He.
29:52He.
29:53That's probably why.
29:55He gets a little arrogant way.
29:57Sometimes.
29:58I mean.
29:58But.
29:58He's very smart mentally.
30:00And.
30:01He understands.
30:02I mean.
30:03It's hard to describe him.
30:04But.
30:05His intelligence is really smart.
30:07And the signs he shows up.
30:08When he's happy.
30:09He'll show you signs.
30:12The way he carries.
30:13His head.
30:13And bows his head.
30:15He does show you the signs.
30:16So he's very smart.
30:17Intelligent.
30:18And he.
30:18And he observes everything.
30:20Skippy.
30:20He's.
30:21He's more relaxed.
30:22He's more.
30:22He's more.
30:23Easier.
30:24On a race day.
30:25Skippy pumps himself up.
30:26In the paddock.
30:27He'll get very.
30:28Very.
30:28Strong on you.
30:29Like.
30:30You'll.
30:30You'll.
30:31You'll really get.
30:32Aggressive in the paddock.
30:33Around the barn.
30:34He's kind of cool.
30:35Relax.
30:36In the stall.
30:36He'll.
30:36He'll nip on you a bit.
30:37He'll bite more than.
30:38On Barrio.
30:39But.
30:40He's.
30:41He's different in that aspect.
30:42So two different horses.
30:42Two different persons.
30:43Just like people.
30:47Two.
30:47Two horses.
30:48That.
30:48That.
30:48That.
30:49That.
30:49Have defined my career.
30:50I could say.
30:51Without a doubt.
30:52Randy.
30:53If you don't have any more.
30:54Why to Barrio questions.
30:55I want to.
30:55Segway.
30:56And you'll appreciate this.
30:57Because you'll be covering the.
30:58Holy Bull steaks.
30:59For NBC on Saturday.
31:00So Safi.
31:01Tell us about Barrio.
31:02The New York bread.
31:03That you're.
31:03Running in there.
31:04Horses.
31:04Obviously shown some talent.
31:06But I'll be at.
31:06Just against New York breads.
31:08What are your expectations level.
31:10For him and the Holy Bull.
31:12Yeah.
31:12The horse.
31:13The horse.
31:13I think it's a very talented horse.
31:15Two turns.
31:15They have to do it.
31:16Before you can.
31:17Really.
31:17Really feel calm.
31:18Confident.
31:19Training wise.
31:19He's had a great preparation.
31:21Three back.
31:21He worked with Skippy.
31:22Two weeks.
31:23He worked with Solitude Dude.
31:25Who's a good horse.
31:26That's running in the thrill.
31:28And.
31:28Feel like if he handles the distance.
31:31He's going to go very close.
31:32He's a.
31:33Big strong looking horse.
31:34And he was very professional.
31:35In both of his races.
31:37And you also have.
31:38Tessellate in the forward gal.
31:40Give us your take on her chances.
31:42Yeah.
31:42Yeah.
31:42Um.
31:43We entered her.
31:44Kind of weren't sure if we were going to run her.
31:46Um.
31:46She worked yesterday.
31:47And.
31:48I thought.
31:48She worked well enough to justify running there.
31:50So.
31:51She's going to go to.
31:52Go to.
31:52With a good shot.
31:53She's been much better horse in the last two races.
31:56Because we've taken her back and ridden her more patiently.
31:57Yeah.
31:58I think that's helped.
31:59Um.
31:59This is a tougher race.
32:01Um.
32:01There's a couple in there.
32:02Mythical is very good.
32:03Especially at that distance.
32:05And then Brad has a filly in there.
32:06That's nice too.
32:07So.
32:07She's going to need to.
32:08Improve from a figure standpoint.
32:09To be competitive.
32:10But she could.
32:12We'll be showing that race on.
32:13We'll be showing that race on.
32:13NBC.
32:13You'll have the Pennsylvania bred C.
32:15Kane in there as well.
32:17Day to day.
32:18Um.
32:19Running in the turf race also.
32:22That we'll have.
32:22So yeah.
32:23Yeah.
32:23We'll have you again.
32:24Maybe we're your good luck charm.
32:26Yeah.
32:27Hope so.
32:27Except.
32:28Safi, before I let you go, I want to ask one more question.
32:31Um.
32:31I am a huge fan.
32:33And I am a huge fan of Barbados.
32:34If anybody's never been on vacation there.
32:35It's a wonderful place.
32:37Garrison Savannah.
32:38Oh.
32:38is one of the best kept secrets in all of horse racing.
32:43What kind of reception have you got in Barbados from the media?
32:48Just from your friends back in the racing industry there, they must be just overwhelmed.
32:53With the success you've had in the United States, what do you hear back from home?
32:58Yeah, I think it is very gratifying.
33:00The reception we got from home is...
33:03Early in our career, obviously, we weren't getting to a high level, and people were...
33:08Some people were actually saying, you're going to come back home soon.
33:10But as we've kind of broke through to the top...
33:13I'm on the top, we've got a lot of reception where a lot of people have jumped aboard.
33:18I've been supportive, and we've also tried to reciprocate...
33:23People from Barbados to come up here for jobs, and we've got a lot of some of them to talk.
33:28Cala on the visas, and we've got some up here, so it is very big, and Barbados...
33:33It does produce very good horsemen, from the grooms to the riders, to the exercise riders.
33:38And the trainers, so it's been gratifying to see the reception that...
33:43Then the following, like when we win, it feels like the whole...
33:48The whole of Barbados wins, and that is special, because that is home.
33:52I'm...
33:53Way back in the day, Safi, I covered the Sandy Lane Gold Cup for ESPN.
33:58The year that Bill Marshall and Jono Jones won it with a horse named...
34:03Last of Storm, who I think went back to back, actually.
34:07Between the garrisons...
34:08And Savannah, that historic track, and the beaches, that was a trip to remember.
34:12Yeah, I...
34:13I think you covered it one year my brother won do it.
34:15Were you there when Peace Envoy won?
34:16I think you were there to...
34:17Yes.
34:18I think you were there to...
34:18Yeah.
34:19Yeah.
34:20Yeah.
34:21Yeah.
34:22ESPN.
34:23That was a big thing.
34:23When ESPN was coming to cover racing in Barbados, like...
34:26It was like the...
34:28The...
34:28The pinnacle to have ESPN there.
34:31Very good.
34:32Well, Safi, again, congrats...
34:33Congratulations on just a wonderful training achievement.
34:36Finishing 1-2 in the Pegasus World Cup.
34:38And, you know, these old seven-year-old warriors become fan favorites.
34:42So, we're looking...
34:43Looking forward to what you have in store for them for the rest of 2026.
34:46And, thanks again for being our Gainsway guest.
34:48Best of the week.
34:49And, job well done at Gulfstream last Saturday.
34:51Thank you very much for having me on.
34:53And, guest of the week, Safi Joseph, was brought to you by Gainsway...
34:58The home of the lightning-fast grade one sprinter, Drain the Clock.
35:01The first horse to defeat...
35:03Champion sprinter, Jackie's Warrior, around one turn.
35:06That was in Belmont Parks.
35:08Woody Stevens' stakes.
35:10Drain the Clock also won the Bay Shore and the Swale.
35:13He...
35:13He fits the mold of what breeders are looking for.
35:16He is imposing...
35:18Physically.
35:19And, he also, of course, had a tremendous amount of early speed.
35:23Drain the Clock stands at Gainsway now for a fee of $10,000.
35:28The empty measure...
35:29He also weakly.
35:30He has decreased air and healthy weather...
35:34What albo too...
35:35Was injured options withresident?
35:36In Belmont Parks, camps in the wherever, if you are operating in Prague.
35:37At the same time, the hatred is actually going to be
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36:30to you by the pennsylvania horse breeders association the phba this coming
36:35on the holy bull undercard at Gulfstream Park a pennsylvania bred as
36:40front and center in the grade three forward gal stakes for three-year-old
36:44fillies at seven furlongs
36:45her name is sea cane she is named after a town in pennsylvania
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37:00the tempted stakes at aqueduct she is owned by jim thompson's final furlong farm and
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37:20tell oh that number six one zero four four four four four ten fifty welcome
37:25back and good to hear from safi joseph randy i i know you came up with some uh interesting
37:30factoids about this year's pegasus world cup uh let's hear them yeah
37:35i mean i i wish we had the statistics and maybe they're out there and i they haven't
37:40i asked for them but i'm not even sure that that horse racing databases
37:45exist to this much detail but when's the last time you can remember a grade one state
37:50race especially on dirt like the pegasus in which the one two
37:55three finishers were all seven year olds and
38:00now
38:00not just seven year olds but seven year old entire horses and not seven year old geldings
38:05that's right skippy longstocking white abario and full serrano all three
38:10are seven year olds and what's more and this is another kind of interesting thing
38:15the breeders in america aren't necessarily celebrating this pegasus world cup try
38:20effect uh why do barrio well let's start with the skippy longstocking first of all
38:25by exaggerator who right now has a stud fee of five thousand dollars
38:30why do barrio is by race day who right now has a stud fee of five thousand dollars
38:35and full serrano is by a horse called full mast son of mizzenmast
38:40who stands in argentina um the stud fee is listed
38:45listed as private but my guess would be you could probably breed to full mast
38:50for five thousand dollars there you go so uh sometimes it's not all into
38:55mischief gun runner and the rest of those uh illustrious sires uh so it's nice to
39:00see kind of these blue collar horses do so well so in the pegasus world cup turf the store
39:05was gram motion the uh and in both the big races uh trainers took
39:10home one two as safi joseph did in the pegasus world cup invitational test
39:15gets the win uh over one stripe in that race a tremendous
39:20performance for the gram motion stable um shout out to both horses test score
39:25making his first ever start against older horses wins by a neck but randy um
39:30i gotta think that maybe one stripe going forward is going to have the better
39:35campaign of the two um and and i base that on uh
39:40the the trip that he had he only got beat a neck and i don't think it was the the fault of this
39:45south african jockey gavin lorena it's just the way the race developed but he had to go eight wide and
39:50um i think if he was able to save some ground he's probably the winner and not test score
39:55and um i think both you and zoe last week on the show were really high on this horse picking out the fact
40:00that he looked really good in a gulf stream allowance uh beforehand uh beforehand
40:05and uh yeah i think gram motion's got two very good turf horses in there but uh even though
40:10uh he ran second i was a little bit more impressed with one stripe yeah as you're talking
40:15talking i meant to look this up and i'm on my computer right now you can actually uh go to
40:20equibase and you can go into the gps charts and they've sort of upgraded
40:25the accuracy of these and you can get uh overall distance
40:30traveled for uh for all of these races right and so you know
40:35the pegasus world cup turf uh as i click on one
40:40one more thing here okay they have the cumulative distance traveled
40:45of test score at 59 54
40:50and one stripe at 59 67 not as much as i would have thought maybe about a
40:55one link the difference in uh in distance traveled between the two horses and
41:00uh but but but both horses ran exceptionally well and it's a it's a nice situation for
41:05very emotion who obviously as we know is not only one of the classiest guys out there among
41:10trainers but also one of the very very best trainers in the entire sport and to have
41:15two horses like this who were just clicking on all cylinders test score the only question about him that i
41:20had was running against older horses for the first time all of his races had
41:25been you know last year restricted to three-year-olds and he ran well he was remarkably consistent
41:30but the numbers weren't nearly as good as horses like program trading for example or even one
41:35uh one stripe in his most recent allowance win a gulf string so you know how would
41:40test score uh you know how much would he step up in that kind of situation
41:45situation but once again you know as he's shown throughout his career test score is a
41:50very determined horse he's a very game horse and in this case uh he was up to the chance
41:55challenge and he improved his number tremendously and test score and one strike
42:00are going to be uh two really fun horses to watch the rest of the year uh you mentioned program
42:05trading who was the heavy favorite 13 to 10 well he had no excuse whatsoever i i mean
42:10flavian pratt rode a great race saved all the ground the hole opened up for him him on the rail and and he just
42:15had no punch in the final uh 16th of a mile he was the big disappointment in the race
42:20yeah it's cool to see back to one stripe here real quick it's cool to see
42:25i mean we we talk about all the time about how horse racing has become such an international sport
42:30sport but to get from south africa to the united states to run
42:35in our big races these horses have to jump through so many hoops it's a little better than it used to be
42:40but this horse had to spend a couple of months in france ironically to get from south africa
42:45africa to the united states and then things kind of went haywire because there was no
42:50real prep race to run him in so graham motion had to run him against notable speech and
42:55the woodbine mile to get a race in before the breeders cup and then he ran him in the breeders cup and juan hernandez
43:00sent him to the lead uh motion was aghast as the race was going on
43:05that one stripe was out dueling for the early lead which is not the way he wants to run and lo and behold
43:10they bring in uh gavin um lorena his regular jockey from south africa
43:15ride him in the pegasus and took him back let him settle back as the horse prefers to
43:20run and uh and he ran a heck of a race but the co-owner of this horse there's
43:25hollywood racing which is owned by hollywood bets which is one of the largest
43:30betting conglomerates in south africa it's huge in south africa and they're big in this
43:35sport of horse racing the other owner is an attorney by the name of rikesh
43:40sughulam who has owned this horse from day one he was the only owner
43:45to begin with has never seen the horse run in person
43:50he prefers to sit at home and avoid all the pressure and watch on television so hopefully
43:55rikesh was watching on tv on saturday when one stripe finished second at gulfstream
44:00well the other big story out of gulfstream um i think was the big day that uh bill mott and junior alvaro
44:05had they went through uh teamed up for three wins and and and randy um the one i want
44:10to focus in on we already mentioned that knightsbridge was the fastest horse of the week but um
44:15um not just because of the figure um i think
44:20i thought that that that he was one that it's going to come out of this day and again somebody
44:25that were
44:25really going to perhaps look forward to it have a very strong campaign uh not
44:30only do you win by four and three-quarter lengths um this life and times horse that that had run twice
44:35for todd black
44:35butcher and looks so tremendous in his first you know granted only two starts but he
44:40beat him very easily that horse finished third beaten seven and three-quarter length so uh night
44:45bridge is now one and a mile i mean you would logically think the mott camp will look ahead to the met
44:50a mile but um would imagine there might be a race or two um in between there so uh mr
44:55amadu won the eclipse award as outstanding trainer in 2025 got off to a good start and
45:002026 and it looks like he's got a very nice horse in his barn called knightsbridge
45:05yeah oh man was he impressive i mean i don't know what his ultimate distance limitations are going to
45:10be there's probably a reason uh you know why his races have pretty much all been around maybe all
45:15of them have been around one turn so far uh but this was a this was a lights out performance
45:20those who follow handicapping closely especially gulfstream park are
45:25one
45:25of the unusual circumstances um in one mile
45:30races on dirt at gulfstream the one turn mile the starting gate is
45:35way back in the back of the shoot there's absolutely no run up whatsoever the timing
45:40that essentially begins when the gate opens so the fractional times
45:45for those one mile races are all significantly slower than the other dirt races and yet
45:50knightsbridge was dueling for the lead with life and times in 40
45:5535.25 for the half and 109.33
46:00three for six furlongs that totally did life and times in i mean he had been
46:05two for two lifetime going in and had been very visually impressive in those races
46:10and knightsbridge not only dueled that horse into submission through a suicidal pace
46:15then he pulls away to win by four and three quarters uh just under
46:20very little urging from junior alvarado so this horse the sky's the limit for this horse
46:25mott has pointed out that he's always thought the horse obviously had a tremendous amount of ability
46:30ability but in his words the horse has never really been able
46:35ability to get into a a rhythm during his career because little things would
46:40pop up that would interrupt his training schedule and and force him to take a little leg
46:45and now he's had you know three races boom boom boom with no
46:50interruptions stay on schedule get into a rhythm and uh
46:55and now we're seeing exactly how good knightbridge can be which is really good yes
47:00something to look forward to in 2026 a uh very fast horse in the billmont
47:05stable to no one's surprise last week was an embarrassment of riches
47:10for kentucky breads first of all they were a dominant force again an eclipse award
47:15board balloting as a matter of fact sovereignty became the fourth consecutive horse of the year
47:20bread in kentucky following torpedoanna cody's wish and flight line
47:25and also on the racetrack last week kentucky breads starred both domestically and
47:30internationally of course as we talked about skippy longstocking won the pegasus world cup
47:35test score won the pegasus world cup turf meanwhile over in dubai
47:40three group three stakes races won by six speed
47:45bred by katie rich farms mendelson bay bred by kuyathi llc and
47:50drew's gold bred by woodford thoroughbreds with some of the
47:55the fullest fields in the country and quality racing year-round there's never
48:00been a better time to reap the rewards of breeding and racing in kentucky
48:05purse money in kentucky is at an all-time high as his average purse per
48:10race outpacing california florida and new york
48:15kentucky breads breed them raise them race them
48:20we all win
48:25Be a smarter better with First TV, the best horses.
48:30With thousands of exclusive morning workouts.
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48:57That's Nevada Beach on the outside.
48:59And Nisos, the Breeders' Cup.
49:00Dirt Mile winner on the rail.
49:02Working seven forongs and company on Saturday for their day.
49:05In the February 14th, Saudi Cup.
49:08The pair was last seen finishing 1-2 with Nisos.
49:10On top of the December 28th, Lafitte Pink Eye Jr.
49:13Stakes.
49:14Nisos, again, bested his stake.
49:15Stablemate here.
49:16Completing the seven for long work in 125 to Nevada Beach's 125.
49:20Well, Randy, you're heading back to Gulfstream this week and I am.
49:25I'm here for the Holy Bull and the forward gal.
49:28And so I'll start with you.
49:30Holy Bull is.
49:30It's a good race.
49:32It really is the first major race on the road.
49:35To the Florida Derby slash Kentucky Derby down in Florida.
49:39Some fast horses in.
49:40There are some horses that have more to prove, of course.
49:45But.
49:45Let's let's get your take.
49:47Who are you?
49:47Have your eye on in this race.
49:49Yeah.
49:49Well, nine horses.
49:50And first of all, let me start with a couple that are not going to run.
49:54One is definitely.
49:55Not going to run and another probably won't run.
49:59Butane from the Bob Baffer.
50:00Well, more about him in a minute, but he will not be running in the Holy Bull.
50:05And we'll tell you why.
50:08And then game for it.
50:09The horse, it was an.
50:10Impressive maiden winner at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Summers and owner Al Gold.
50:15Also apparently is doubtful to run.
50:19So that leaves a field of seven.
50:20And really.
50:20I thought that it came down to two horses, maybe three.
50:25And I'm talking about nearly a horse trained by Todd Pletcher.
50:30Who has had two tremendously impressive races back to back.
50:34I think we talked about him.
50:35On an earlier podcast, he won a maiden race by nine.
50:39And then he came back and won an allowance.
50:40Despite trouble leaving the starting gate.
50:45By a widening margin of five lengths.
50:48And then you've got a horse trained by.
50:50Brad Cox named Cannoneer, who was a very impressive maiden winner at church.
50:55Right after Thanksgiving, he won that race by seven and a half lengths.
51:00And Cannoneer happens to be a half brother to.
51:05Who, of course, won the Haskell back in the day to Midnight Bourbon.
51:10Who won $3.6 million in his career.
51:15And.
51:15And then another horse called Pirate's Punch.
51:17And even Cocked and Loaded, a couple of other stakes winners.
51:20So this.
51:20This horse is a great pedigree, Cannoneer.
51:23And this isn't.
51:23They both win in big numbers.
51:25You know, this is a nice showdown between a couple of horses that.
51:30Really have potentially promising futures.
51:33The third would be Global Aviator.
51:35From the Rohan Crichton Barn.
51:38Who overcame.
51:40A.
51:40A pretty significantly poor start in his maiden win at Gulfstream Park.
51:45And still managed to get up and win with an 85 buyer speed figure that maybe could.
51:50Have been even a little more than that.
51:52So, yeah.
51:52I think it comes down to those three.
51:54But really.
51:54I think near.
51:55Brilliant and Cannoneer deserve top billing.
51:57Randy, you didn't even mention the horse that I'm picking.
52:00Incredible.
52:02No.
52:03Yeah.
52:03And the reasons why.
52:05And.
52:05Look, everything you said about your horses, I totally agree with.
52:08And they have been.
52:10Nothing less than spectacular, particularly Cannoneer and nearly.
52:13But, you know, I'm going.
52:15Going kind of back to Handicapping 101, Incredible is the only stakes winner in the field.
52:20Having won the street sense and the only horse that's won around two turns as well for riding.
52:25Mott, you know, maybe his speed figures aren't quite as up to what the other.
52:30Or two, particularly Cannoneer and nearly have run.
52:33But he's no slouch either.
52:35Got to put on the glasses to see this.
52:38You know, he ran an 82 last time out.
52:40He looks like he's improving.
52:41This is Riley Mott, not Bill Mott, but he's certainly learned well.
52:45And I imagine like his father, he brings his horses along slowly and they will.
52:50Improve with time to come.
52:51So, any reason not to like this horse?
52:54I mean, look, he's.
52:55He's got a he's got a solid pedigrees by Bolt Doro.
52:58He's got the look of a two turn horse.
53:00And he won around two turns in the street sense.
53:03He overcame a while.
53:05He's got a wide trip and a fairly slow pace from back off the pace from last, actually.
53:10To win the street sense.
53:11He was three wide on both turns.
53:13So, that 82 buyer speed.
53:15You could probably bump it up realistically to like maybe an 86 or an 87 just based on.
53:20Ground loss alone because now he has the rail and he'll probably, you know.
53:25Save Ground in this spot.
53:26Here's the reason I didn't like him.
53:28First of all, the numbers.
53:29Speed figure.
53:30Here's I'm a numbers guy.
53:31And they certainly weren't as good as either nearly or.
53:35Cannoneer and also the horse that he beat in the street sense.
53:38A horse called Universe from the Kenny McPeak.
53:40Stable, who I was pretty high on coming out of this race, came back and ran again, I believe, at Oakline.
53:45Maybe the fairgrounds, I don't recall now, but ran very poorly.
53:49Didn't run well.
53:50Didn't run well at all against better competition.
53:54So, that kind of.
53:55Kind of soured me a little bit on the street sense as a whole.
53:59So, that's why.
54:00I didn't include incredible, but I wouldn't be shocked.
54:03And as you no doubt know by now.
54:05One of our sponsors is West Point Thoroughbreds.
54:08And some congratulations are in order as well.
54:10West Point is celebrating an Eclipse Award with its champion two-year-old filly Super Cora.
54:15Who, of course, scored that front-running win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Phillies.
54:19Meanwhile, a shout.
54:20Shout out to the people behind Super Cora Dora, who were so critical to her success.
54:25First of all, trainer John Sadler.
54:27Then you've got jockey Hector Berrios, bloodstock agent.
54:30David N. Gordo, who identified Super Cora Dora back at Caneland September.
54:35And last but not least, Dr. Barry Eisenman, who broke Super Corridor.
54:40And prepared her for the racetrack.
54:43Congratulations to West Point Thoroughbreds and Park.
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55:15Well, that's a wrap on this.
55:20This week's edition of the Thoroughbred Daily News Writer's Room Podcast, presented by Caneland.
55:24I want to thank our guests.
55:25Gainesway Guest of the Week, Safi Joseph.
55:27I want to thank my partner, Randy Moss.
55:29Zoe Moss.
55:30Zoe Cadman.
55:31No, not Zoe Moss.
55:32Zoe Cadman.
55:33We'll be back next.
55:34I didn't break.
55:35Did I break us?
55:35Zoe and Randy got married?
55:37Oh, my God.
55:38Oh, that's not.
55:39No.
55:39So.
55:40That is not the case, but she will be back next week.
55:44And I also want to thank, of course, the people.
55:45They do such an excellent job that Sue Finley, Katie Petruniak.
55:50We'll talk to you next week.
55:55We'll talk to you next week.
56:00We'll talk to you next week.
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