Letter to the Editor

Hey Boss. I think you saw, but I saddled my 10th winner earlier this week. I know you told me you'd be long dead before I won the Kentucky Derby, but you did get to see me win at Churchill Downs. Every time I saddle a horse, I think about the first time I saddled for you. It was Cold as Hell at Oaklawn Park. I forgot the pommel pad, and you told me to get out of the way, that you'd finish saddling him yourself. I didn't talk back...

On Jan. 9, 2025, a Thoroughbred mare named Kayseri was euthanized in Puerto Rico. She had no joint space left in her fetlocks. Her body was broken down from overuse, her mind likely exhausted from pain and confinement. Her death is not only a tragedy--it is the subject of three formal complaints now filed against the Puerto Rico Racing Commission, the track veterinarians, and her final owner. Kayseri was not a forgotten horse. She was bred by the University of Kentucky. She raced under Hall of Famer Mark Casse. She...

Last week, I witnessed firsthand the career-saving and even life-saving potential of the StrideSAFE sensor technology--and I feel a responsibility to share what happened. A stakes-level horse in our barn was flagged by StrideSAFE after showing a dramatic rise in injury risk in the right front leg over its two most recent races. A barn exam by our veterinarian showed no obvious lameness or inflammation. But based on the compelling StrideSAFE data, we took the next step and scheduled advanced imaging. The PET scan results--confirmed by two separate equine hospitals--showed...

The most important asset the horse industry has are the brands of the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown. Nothing else comes close in our dying business. Nothing in Major League Baseball, the Indy 500 or the Masters can match the number of TV viewers every year for the Derby. Outside of the Super Bowl (115 million viewers) and the NBA Finals (17.8 million), one couldn't spend enough money to get 16 million TV viewers for a sporting event today in America. When a horse wins the Preakness and the...

Seth Hancock recommended Christophe Clement when he went out on his own in 1991 and I sent horses to him. Christophe worked extremely hard to become one of the most successful trainers in New York. We were friends for many years. I appreciated a text from him on May 4, but could only think about how hard this battle had to be. Christophe will be remembered by what he achieved in his career. He leaves a large, loving family behind to relish his accomplishments and honor his memory by building...

What a ride. What a feeling. What an unbelievable journey to play a part in Florida's racing legacy. I couldn't be more proud of Bridlewood graduates finishing 1-2 in the 2025 Kentucky Derby--and another in the top 10 with East Avenue. Now that I've had a moment to reflect, I can say with certainty: this finish wasn't luck. It was a testament to Florida's standing as a hub for racing excellence. Florida, and particularly Ocala, has long been a cradle for champions. With abundant sunshine, ideal soil, mineral-rich spring water,...

The TDN article "In Lab Variability, Horse Racing Playing Catchup With Human Sports" raises some important issues and, although its consideration of them is fair, it only does this from a USA perspective. While this is understandable, it is also relevant to look at the achievements made in this space internationally, much of which has been pioneered by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), which is the global leader for Thoroughbred racing. Firstly, I want to congratulate HISA/HIWU on their significant progress in enhancing testing standards in racing laboratories...

In the wake of this year's Kentucky Derby win by Sovereignty, I think it is important to recognize the quiet but profound legacy of one of racing's great horsewomen and enthusiasts--Betty Moran. Sadly, Mrs. Moran passed away in 2020, but I have to feel that this year's Kentucky Derby winner, whose mother she bred, is testament to years of her racing and breeding at the top end of the thoroughbred world. Mrs. Moran bred and/or raced many outstanding race horses including Belmont and Jockey Club winner Creme Fraiche, champions Unique...

Just as two of our greatest race days unfolded at Churchill Downs, our sport received great news as the Florida Senate held firm and did not take up the decoupling bill that had passed the House a few days earlier. For the first time I can remember, the effort to defeat decoupling brought so many people in the industry together. I personally wanted to congratulate the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative and their team, organized by members including David O'Farrell, Damon Thayer, Barry Eisaman, Mark Casse, Tom Ventura and many others. They...

A few weeks ago, I had a discussion with some racing folks on the site formerly known as Twitter regarding recognition of grooms when horses win. This came about from asking the question, "If they can acknowledge the groom of the Best Turned Out horse for certain races, why can they not do the same for horses that win the race?" Insight from those with far more knowledge of the day-to-day workings of the industry than I have made me realize why this would not be feasible in most circumstances...

About a year ago, RRP executive director Kirsten Green mused about a future in which we might see a headline such as "Leading sire X has prolific influence on track and beyond, produces record number of 5* starters." A year later, that's almost exactly the headline I just got to write, which is thrilling as a fan of both racing and equestrian sport: the late Malibu Moon, inarguably an influential sire of Thoroughbred racehorses, is also leaving a lasting impact on equestrian sport. Malibu Moon's three starters are contesting the...

The TDN European division produced a wonderful article about our recently deceased friend Clem Murphy last Saturday. I wanted to offer a few observations from an American who respected and loved Clem for all the things he did not just in Europe, and the list is long, but for what he did here in America. As background, I met Clem about 40 years ago, just as the Coolmore empire was exploding under John Magnier, with the help of a quiet young genius named Clem Murphy. Clem was part of the...