With the New Year soon upon us, we take this opportunity to recall the exciting 2007 racing season.
Records were made to be broken, and this year Todd Pletcher broke his own record for wins in a single year and money earned and may break other records by December 31. As well, Richard Dutrow Jr. and Mark Hennig earned their 1000th wins, Scott Lake reached the 4000-win plateau, and Jerry Hollendorfer won his 5000th race. Among jockeys, Garrett Gomez broke the record for stakes wins in a year previously held by Jerry Bailey. Abel Castellano earned win number 1000, Terry Thompson won his 2000th, Travis Dunkelberger and Ricky Frazier each won his 3000th, and Mario Pino, regular rider of Hard Spun, booted home his 6000th winner.
Like at the end of 2006, politics reared its ugly head, with the New York Racing Association still front and center. Despite a plan by Governor Eliot Spitzer to extend the franchise with the state taking over ownership of the land, Senate majority leader Joseph Bruno expressed disagreement with the governor's plan, wanting to introduce a plan of his own that doesn't involve NYRA keeping the franchise. This dispute shows no sign of coming to an end and the question in every racing fan's mind is, will there still be New York racing on January 1.
The Triple Crown always brings renewed optimism in the sport and this year was no exception, when one of racing's biggest jinxes came to an abrupt end. Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Street Sense, under a rail-skimming ride by jockey Calvin Borel, passed Hard Spun at the 1/8 pole and drew off to win the Kentucky Derby. At the top of the stretch, the Preakness looked like a Triple Crown may be on the line, but those hoping for such a showdown were disappointed when Curlin nosed out Street Sense in the final strides to get the win. Street Sense's connections opted out of the Belmont, where Curlin, who took the lead late in the stretch, was run down by Kentucky Oaks winner Rags to Riches, the first filly since Tanya in 1905 to win the final leg of the Triple Crown. Although he was defeated, Curlin went on to bigger and better things later in the year.
International racing has enjoyed renewed interest in America with easier access to betting. Dylan Thomas was the Cartier Horse of the Year, having won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over 80-1 longshot Youmzain. However, he was sub-par in the final two starts of his career, losing in both the Breeders' Cup Turf and the Hong Kong Vase. Ramonti shipped in from England to win the Hong Kong Cup, while French-based horse Doctor Dino, who also won the Man O'War Stakes at Belmont Park, captured the Hong Kong Vase. The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club signed a new sponsorship agreement with France Galop, with the 2008 Arc being worth 4 million euros (about $5.8 million U.S.) This will make it the second richest race in the world, $6 million Dubai World Cup continuing to top the racing world in prize money. In the Dubai World Cup, 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor defeated Premium Tap, while Discreet Cat, the highly-touted Godolphin hope, was never in it and finished last.
The Breeders' Cup came to Monmouth Park and the state of New Jersey for the first time, which included steady rains and waterlogged racing surfaces. Curlin defeated a top class field including Lawyer Ron, Street Sense, and Hard Spun to win the Classic, which probably sealed Horse of the Year and 3-year-old champion Eclipse Awards for the son of Smart Strike. Despite a boggy turf course, the Europeans were shut out in all four turf races, including 4-5 favorite Dylan Thomas in the Turf. 2007 marked the first year of two Breeders' Cup initiatives, the new 2-day format with 3 new races run on Friday, and the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" promotion where winners of certain graded stakes are guaranteed entry in the big event.
Synthetic surfaces, a hot topic of discussion in 2006, appeared in more locations in 2007. Presque Isle Downs, a new track that opened in Erie, Pennsylvania in September, features a Tapeta racing surface, and thanks to a short meet and slot machines that had been open for several months, also offered very high purses for its inaugural meet. California racing mandated that synthetics be installed at all their Thoroughbred tracks, so Santa Anita and Hollywood Park opted for Cushion Track, while Del Mar went with Polytrack. Arlington Park also introduced its Polytrack surface for the 2007 season, after a 2006 season marred by an unusual number of breakdowns on its dirt track. However. problems with synthetics that didn't appear in 2006 definitely showed up in 2007, as the European innovation often did not hold up to the harsher North American climate, with our hotter summers and colder winters. Woodbine and Turfway experienced kickback issues in colder weather, while Santa Anita's Cushion Track failed to drain properly, so the surface had to be rebuilt in time for the start of the 2007-2008 winter season.
2007 Major Race Recaps
2007 Obituaries
Horse Racing's Best of 2007 from ESPN
The horse racing highlights of 2007 from The Guardian Unlimited in the UK.
