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My heart goes out to the family of Vassell “Jollyman” Najair after his untimely demise while trying his best to protect a thoroughbred race horse and the public from injury. If ever any single act can exemplify a life this one WAS “Jolly” Najair. He loved horses; loved horse...
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By the time Legal Light won his Derby, the commentary booth was controlled by the wonderful Chris Armond, who brought a whole new style of race calling to the radio in which every horse’s position was noted on several occasions during the race and every finish was exciting. He...
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When Titania won the Derby in 1974, David Vernon was still in charge of RJR’s commentary booth but the skill and artistry of George HoSang ruled the racetrack. Titania (trained by Michael “Buddy” Silvera for Mrs. Hazel Chen) was the third filly to win the Derby and HoSang’s second...
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Horseracing has always been an audio-visual sport and, as such, identified with and by the voices of its commentators. One of the earliest was the legendary Charlie “Dollars to Donuts” McCormack. When the little boy’s first “favourite horse”, Saumarez, won the 1962 Derby, he was called home by Charlie...
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“Have I missed anything?” the small boy in the disheveled prep school uniform hopped nervously from foot to foot, peering over his father’s shoulder for a glimpse of the as-yet-forbidden fruit. “Take a bath, eat your lunch and then we can talk” was the gruff response. “But, have they...
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The new racing promoter has taken some steps in the right direction. For example, I notice there has been an attempt to raise the value of claiming tags albeit only at the top end. A few races have been successfully offered for horses prepared to enter for claiming tags...
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I spent last week glued to the world’s best flat racing festival, Royal Ascot. Some fun facts about the five days of world class horse racing: Royal Ascot welcomes 300,000 race-goers across five days; 70,000 attend Thursday’s Gold Cup Day; Viewed in over 200 countries around the globe; Approximately...
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Recently, traditionalists, programmed to believe only England has answers to anything, have renewed a call for the return to an English system of handicapping/rating as the panacea for what ails local racing. “Bring it on,” I say. Hurry up! Let’s scrap the claiming system and return to the rating...
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Toldja! Since I wrote about the embarrassing scenario among Jamaica’s jockey colony as exposed by 54-year-old Gary Richards (published June 4) the Old Master has ridden 7 winners from 34 rides (21% win percentage) which is bettered by only one (Shane Ellis; 22%) of the top ten jockeys. He...
By the time Legal Light won his Derby, the commentary booth was controlled by the wonderful Chris Armond, who brought a whole new style of race calling to the radio in which every horse’s position was noted on several occasions during the race and every finish was exciting. He...