Four Week and Racing Review

 The 2010-2011 Fair Grounds racing season is already four-weeks old and there is both familiar and unfamiliar faces leading the standings. Trainer Steve Asmussen is in a familiar spot leading all conditioners with 10 wins, one more than Michelle Lovell. Asmussen is a very familiar face both locally and nationally, while racing fans around the country are now getting to know Lovell.

In the jockey standings, Richard Eramia leads with 21, two more than Rosie Napravnik. Eramia is still considered a newcomer to most Fair Grounds fans although he’s riding here for the second season, while Napravnik is here regularly for her first full season.

Before I get deeper into the trainer and jockey standings and make a couple of predictions, let’s talk about the state of Fair Grounds racing in general. Now, keep in mind, this is my opinion about a sport that is struggling nation wide, but is trying to present a racing package that is attractive to both veteran fans and newcomers. Honestly, I don’t know if there is a race track executive or marketing person in the racing world that can do that with any great amount of success.

Racing at the Fair Grounds and around the country, for lack of a better term, is what it is. You run races with and for the horses that are on the grounds. The Fair Grounds and its racing office have been the victim of criticism for not using some of the better races in the past. I can tell you first hand, the Fair Grounds is trying and they are making a concentrated effort to fill and use some of the better races. The races are in the condition book, but sometimes the old saying applies “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”.

We also hear a lot about too many Louisiana-bred races being offered and used. I know the rule of thumb is to use only three state-bred races per day, but sometimes using more than three can’t be helped. The reason why is because many of the horsemen here are locals, meaning they’re Louisiana-breds themselves, and they raise, buy and train horses that were bred and born here to race and take advantage of the incentives of our lucrative breeding program.

All in all, I think the racing is pretty good here. It’s competitive and I know the objective here is to give everybody a shot. To borrow a few words from the Toby Keith song, “Is the racing as good as it once was”? Probably not on a regular, day-to-day basis, but it’s the same at tracks all around the country. We do have the multi-stake days that offer some high-quality racing and produce a few stars of the future.

What it boils down to is that we, meaning all race tracks, need a Zenyatta to generate interest. Unfortunately, Zenyatta’s don’t come around too often.

Now, back to the meet leaders. Steve Asmussen leads the trainers standings with a record of 10 wins, eight seconds and four thirds and almost $300,000 in earnings. Can he repeat and win another training title? Yes he can. “Big Blue” still has enough firepower here to gun’em all down again. The key is the Asmussen barn can and will win races in bunches and that will be enough to keep them in front.

Rounding out the top trainers is Michelle Lovell, off to a very good start, with a record of 9-5-3 from 29 starters; Bret Calhoun has started 36 and has a record of 8-6-6; Eric Heitzmann and Eddie Johnston have six winners each, while All Stall, Jr., Steve Margolis, Sturges Ducoing, Jr., Sam Breaux, Wes Hawley and Neil Howard are all tied with five.

The jockey’s race is going to be interesting, to say the least. A lot of jockeys are winning races on a regular basis, so I don’t think anybody is going to dominate this meet. Richard Eramia is two in front with a tab of 21 wins, 17 seconds and 15 thirds from 140 mounts and earnings just over $450,000. Can Richard lead from start to finish? I sure hope so, since I have a vested interest. He’s riding very confident and is successfully teaming-up with trainers Michelle Lovell, Sweet Hodges and Bob Young. It’s going to be tough to maintain the early momentum, but we’re certainly going to try, so I won‘t make a prediction in this race.

A number of race trackers are of the opinion that Rosie Napravnik is going to be the leading rider and they might be right. She’s building strong business, she’s riding in great form right now and has a record of 19-17-8 from 93 starts with earnings of over $475,000. In a previous blog, all of Rosie’s strengths were discussed and she’s going to be tough for the guys to deal with throughout the meet.

The cavalry is right behind the top two and as I mentioned, it’s anybody’s game right now. Jamie Theriot is currently third with 17 wins, 18 seconds and 16 thirds from 120 mounts accounting for over $540,000 in purse money. Completing the top ten are Miguel Mena with 15, Robby Albarado, James Graham and Shaun Bridgmohan with 14 each, Kerwin Clark with 12 and Corey Lanerie and Jesse Campbell with 10 each.

All in all, it’s going to be very competitive around here and that makes for some good racing. Come out, have some fun and enjoy it - cause it is what it is.

Good luck and good racing and have a very Merry Christmas.