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Dick Francis hung up his boots in 1957. He wrote an autobiography, ‘The Sport of Queens’. It turned out to be a big seller. When Francis called a halt to his second career, he had written 42 novels and hundreds of short stories. His last book called Even Money came out in September 2009. It was co-authored by Francis’ younger son, Felix.
Francis lived in the Cayman Islands. Mary, his wife of 53 years, had breathing problems and the weather at Cayman was what the doctor had ordered. She died in 2000.
Dick Francis had two sons, Merrick and Felix. The latter made a statement. “My brother, Merrick and I, are devastated by the loss of our father. However, we rejoice in having been the sons of such an extraordinary man.”
In 1984, Dick Francis received the O B E. He was bestowed with the C B E in 2000. O B E is the Order of the British Empire. C B E is Commander of the British Empire.
Here is news about Daniel Grant. The 31 year-old Irish reinsman came to Mumbai and did not stay long. He was the champion rider in Mumbai in 2008-2009.
Jockey Grant has tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine. Traces were found in his system when random testing was done at the Curragh last October. Grant went back to Ireland. He attended a hearing on Thursday of the Irish Racing Authority. It was adjourned because the panel wanted more evidence.
Grant has defended himself vigorously. “I have never taken cocaine. It may have come from the medication I am taking. I have chronic skin problems. I have eczema and am fighting bacterial infection. I get asthma now and then.”
I know Grant. I strongly believe he will be exonerated. We have a great Mumbai jockey colony but I miss Danny Grant.
A tidbit about Martin Dwyer. Martin is riding in England where racing is held on all weather surfaces. On Sunday, jockey Dwyer connected with Dosti, a 16-1 chance, in a 2200-metre race at Kempton, outside London.
On Thursday at the Meydan, the two horse from India, Antonios and Autonomy, did not race as well as Indian fans would have hoped. Antonios, 11-1 in the Racing Post line, finished sixth. The 2000-metre race was run on the tapeta track. The race was won by Lizard’s Desire, the even money favorite, and was ridden by Christophe Soumillon.
Autonomy was in a grass race over 1,800 metres. William Buick was aboard Autonomy and the pair took seventh. Autonomy was a 11-2 chance. Pan River, a Turkish horse, won. S Kaya rode and the trainer is Ayhan Kasar. Pan River was a 5-1 chance.
Desert Code won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup (turf) Sprint at Santa Anita in October 2008. Richard Migliore rode for David Hoffmans. Desert Code got up in the waning yards to beat the Frankie Dettori-ridden Diabolical, a Godolphin runner. Desert Code has been retired. Trainer Hoffmans made a terse remark: “Desert Code’s career as a racehorse is over. We are looking forward for a place he can stand.”
Do you remember jockey Rory Cleary? He left Mumbai the Monday after the Derby. The Irish youngster is riding in England. There are only jumps races in Ireland. The flat season begins in the second part of March. Cleary won a race at Southwell on Thursday. He was aboard the 16-1 Tin Cha Woody in a 1400-metre race.
Munnings is a son of Speightstown, a well-known sprinter. Speightstown won the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Lone Star Park. Munnings, a Todd Pletcher pupil, began the 2010 campaign on a winning note on Saturday. Fifteen minutes before Munnings won the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship, trainer Pletcher watched on a TV monitor, Rule, a horse he trains, win the Grade III Sam F Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, another track in Florida. Javier Castellano rode the Coolmore-owned Munnings, an even money choice. The time for the 1400-metre race was 1 22.49 seconds.
Trainer Pletcher spoke. “It certainly was a good 15 minutes. I am very pleased with his performance given the preparation had not gone like we’d wanted and he had missed a prep because of a wet track. His next race may be in the Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 13 or the Grade I Carter at Aqueduct on April 3.”
We will take a look at some graded action in America at week’s end. St Trinians went to America in March 2009. The four year-old (in 2009) filly had won three of seven starts in England. In four outings in the US since, St Trinians, now five, has not been beaten. St Trinians was the 13-10 favourite in Saturday’s Grade II Santa Maria at Santa Anita and she made no mistake. One of her victims in the six-horse field was Life Is Sweet, winner of the Ladies’ Classic (Breeders’ Cup) last year. With Joel Rosario in the irons, St Trinians ran the 1700-metre race in 1 41.73 seconds. Life Is Sweet was held up by Garrett Gomez in the rear and finished on to be second. St Trinians was four wide turning for home and ran on to win with a measure of comfort. Piccolo is the sire of St Trinians. Cherrycome-Row is the dam who is by Classic Cliché.
Jockey Rosario explained. “I wanted to keep her outside because when those other horses stopped, I did not want to have to slow her down. Once she gets rolling, I don’t want to get her stopped.”
Trainer Mike Mitchell said that he looks forward to a meeting with Zenyatta in the Santa Margarita on March 13. Zenyatta will race in the Santa Margarita before going to Oaklawn Park to be in the Apple Blossom. Rachel Alexandra will also be in the Apple Blossom.
Blind Luck was the 1-5 favourite in Saturday’s $250,000 Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita. The Pollards’s Vision filly came through but not before giving her fans some heartache. In the last 200 metres, Blind Luck, Rafael Bejarano up, had to make up four lengths. She got up in the last jump to beat Evening Jewel. The margin was a nose. Switch finished third and dumped jockey Tyler Baze strides after passing the line. The Las Virgenes is a prep for the Santa Anita Oaks on March 6. Five ran in the Las Virgenes.
The 1600-metre race was run in 1 35.98 on the pro ride surface. Jockey Bejarano talked about his filly’s stretch kick. “There was not much speed, so it was hard to come off the pace. She has a big turn of foot though, and as soon as we crossed the wire, I knew we had won it.”
There is news from Oaklawn Park. There is preliminary agreement about a race that will bring Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra to the Hot Springs track in April for the Apple Blossom. There is a guaranteed $5,000,000 purse. The race will be called the Apple Blossom Invitational Handicap.
Chares Cella, Oaklawn Park’s owner, commented. “This is truly a race for the ages. I understand the concerns of the contestants to have a prep race for an event of this magnitude. Both parties want this to happen when their champions are at their absolute peak.”
Finally, a three year-old called Caracortado made it five for five in Saturday’s Robert Lewis Handicap at Santa Anita. Caracortado means ‘scarface’ in Spanish. A son of Cat Dreams out of Mons Venus by Maria’s Mon, Caracortado began his career by winning a $40,000 maiden claiming race at Fairplex last fall. The Robert Lewis was the fifth consecutive win for the Mike Machowsky-trained sophomore. Paul Atkinson was aboard. Caracortado won by a length and three quarters and clocked 1 41.75 seconds for 1700 metres. The winning payoff was $11.00.
Jockey Atkinson spoke about his mount’s maturity. “This horse is very mature. He acts like an older horse. You can do anything with him. You can put him on the lead or he will relax off the pace like he did today.”
Trainer Machowsky paid tribute. “Every time I ask him, he does what I want. We will look at the San Felipe (March 13) and see if Lookin At Lucy comes at us.”
Lookin at Lucy is one the leading sophomores in America and a top contender for the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.
There is a debate going on about the virtues of artificial surfaces. The jury is out. There is a proposal to abandon the pro ride experiment and go back to the traditional dirt surface at Santa Anita. A conference has revealed deep divisions. The Breeders’ Cup races have been run on the pro ride in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, Churchill (dirt) will host the World Championships.
