Seven Stories While You Were Gone Fishin'

(This column appears as part of my regular contributions to The Daily Payoff)

By Terry Lyons, Contributing Columnist for The Daily Payoff

@terrylyons

Gone Fishin' (Photo by Andrea P. Martin)

There are several sure signs that summer is coming to a close. In the eastern USA, it’s getting dark at 7pm, not 8:30pm, the TV networks have concluded their endless broadcasting of meaningless NFL preseason games and, for you Steely Dan fans out there, the Wolverine is on its way towards Annandale. There’s been plenty of news posted on The Daily Payoff during the past two months but maybe, like me, you’ve been preoccupied, reading those trashy paperback novels, listening to the sounds of summer at the beach or watching the Red Sox stumble to another last place finish.

To be sure you’re up-to-speed, I’m shaking the sand out of the beach chair and my reporter’s notebook to review a few important occurrences which took place during the past two months while we were all Gone Fishin’.

1. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah took the track at Monmouth Park for The Haskell and did not disappoint a NJ record 60, 983 horse racing fans who turned out to see the horse continue his winning ways after a 58-day lay-off from the historic win at the Belmont Stakes. Pharoah then was saddled up for The Travers at Saratoga and the track’s reputation as the “Graveyard of Champions” remained intact as longshot "Keen Ice” upset the triple crown winner.  On October 31, all eyes will be on American Pharoah at the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland which is expected to be the colt’s last race before heading out to stud and a cool $150,000 per pop. What a horse! What a life!

2. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declined jurisdiction over the plight of Northwestern University football players seeking to register as a union. The unanimous decision by the NLRB avoided involvement in the hot potato of “student athlete” rights as they pertain to the NCAA, but it noted the ruling pertained to State run universities and did not address private schools. The issue of paying collegiate players to play remains a possibility and the case it likely to be appealed to Federal Court.

3. Speaking of Federal cases, DeflateGate was resolved, at least temporarily, when Judge Richard Berman of the US Federal Court, Southern District of New York vacated Tom Brady’s four-game suspension while taking the NFL to task on various procedures of their flimsy Wells Report and subsequent hearing before “Cop-Judge-Jury” Commissioner Roger Goodell. Remember, it all began on January 18, 2015 and could have been resolved by January 20 with some foresight by the NFL and the Patriots. Overall, the entire process has been a colossal waste of time and, ultimately tax-payers money. While it’s now subject to the NFL’s appeal, the entire ridiculous fairytale was possibly a giant smoke-screen left to cover the NFL’s more problematic player image headlines, like Ray Rice and several other domestic violence cases.

4. Although dozens of popular and admirable athletes, executives and administrators have passed away in 2015, some taken far too early, it’s important to recognize the passing of former NY Giants star Frank Gifford, known to so many as the chiseled and competent anchor of Monday Night Football from 1971, MNF’s second year, to 1998. Gifford passed away from natural causes on August 9th, a week before his 85th birthday. He was lauded for his pioneering role in transitioning from athlete to broadcaster. Rest in Peace to Giff.

5. Before the 2015 NFL season kicks-off, the two industry leaders of Daily Fantasy Sports, Draft Kings and Fan Duel, will have spent a combined $110 million dollars - just on TV ads, with a reported $86.2 million attributed to Draft Kings, according to combined reports by ispot.tv and Kantar Media. Those figures do not - repeat NOT - include the millions spent on radio, digital and traditional billboard and print advertising deals. As the popular and DFS friendly NFL season kicks-off on September 10 and continues with its full schedule on September 13, the barrage of advertising done by Draft Kings and Fan Duel, already ubiquitous, will reach spending levels only approached in prior years by the beer companies. Jason Robbins, CEO of Draft Kings, and Nigel Eccles, the head of Fan Duel, can both be crowned as the most powerful men in sports in 2015.

6. On August 25, the Third US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the State of New Jersey to upheld prior verdicts that NJ’s plans to authorize sports betting were a violation of the federal law, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The court’s ruling points any future movement in the legalization of sports betting to Congress. Vocal NJ State Senator Ray Lesniak will need to ramp up efforts at the Congressional level, not via his own’s state government, to make any further progress. In the past, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who opposed the efforts in NJ, has written that he and the league support a federally legislated and regulated law to allow sports gambling. The late August ruling will shelve the issue for years to come, unless you believe Congress can actually get something done?

7. Boston 2024 is no longer. Since I dedicated an entire column to the issue on July 8, I will spare readers from past details of Boston’s inept bid and the politics surrounding every decision. Instead, I must note the lost opportunity of hosting an Olympic Games has most Boston and Massachusetts residents singing “Hallelujah,” while some of us wonder if our generation will accomplish anything of significance or just continue to complain about everything and do nothing? The US Olympic Committee and the City of Los Angeles quickly moved forward and have plans to nominate LA as a potential host of the 2024 Games, but the City of Angels will face very stiff competition from the likes of Rome and Paris for the IOC’s blessing to host the youth of the world in 2024. My money is on Paris.

America's Best Racing ... Fall Season

The fall season of horse racing is upon us and that culminates with the annual Breeders' Cup.  Here is a little "Sizzle Reel" to get you pumped up for the next chapter in the Sport of Kings ... Thoroughbred Horse Racing.

Anyone have Secretariat in this race?

Seems like they are missing a few horses, eh?



Still some fun to watch....

Breeder' Cup Seven World Series Games in One Day.

Yes, the question has been asked and answered once or twice before.

Q- Best day in Sports?

A- Breeders' Cup.

It's seven World Series games in one day. Yes, it's seven Super Bowl horse races all packed into one day (two days, now that they ruined it by expanding the format).

I will add a column from ESPN.com to preview the races, but first I'll highlight this great piece by Rick Reilly who called a race at Santa Anita and found out for himself just how difficult it is to keep "track" of those nags on the "track."

Reilly's best line comes early in the race when he identifies a horse trailing the field and makes a pretty harsh reference to a former actress. I won't spoil it for you. Listen in by clicking the button midway down on the page I am linking HERE.

***

Here's some info on the Breeders' Cup to be televised by ESPN (today at 3:45pm) and ABC (Saturday at 1:45pm est) from beautiful Santa Anita (Oak Tree) in Arcadia, California.

By Jay Privman

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Breeders' Cup was designed to showcase the sport's best runners and decide year-end championships, and even in its current 14-race format, it has been a great success over its 26-year run. Yet as good as this year's event is, and it is quite good, the sport's ultimate title might not be on the line, even with such accomplished horses as Summer Bird and the unbeaten, popular mare Zenyatta meeting on Saturday at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting in the premier event, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic.

Rachel Alexandra has been considered the leader for Horse of the Year, based on a series of impressive victories that included the Kentucky Oaks and, against males, in the Preakness, Haskell, and Woodward stakes. She, however, is not here, her 2009 campaign having ended in September, with majority owner Jess Jackson saying he did not want to run her on Santa Anita's synthetic Pro-Ride surface, where his Curlin was fourth in last year's Classic.

There are those, though, who believe the Breeders' Cup should be supported regardless, that it should be as advertised, the venue to decide championships.

"This is what the Breeders' Cup is all about, so we feel it's our responsibility to participate," said Zenyatta's trainer, John Shirreffs.

"This is supposed to be the championship races," said Tim Ice, who trains Summer Bird. "Whoever wins should get top honors. My opinion is that each sport has its championship game, and you should compete in them for championships. This is the stage where Horse of the Year should be decided."

Both Zenyatta and Summer Bird certainly have the credentials. Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, has won all 13 of her starts, including four this year. The Classic will be her first try against males. Summer Bird has put together victories in the Belmont, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. If either adds the Classic, it makes for a compelling resume.

Regardless, a horse with a worthy campaign will be slighted. Especially if the vote comes down to Zenyatta vs. Rachel Alexandra, because they never met, yet both will have stepped out of the box to beat males.

"If Zenyatta wins it, I wish they could give Horse of the Year to both owners," said trainer Bob Baffert. "We need more of that in racing."

"It'll be like the year Ted Williams hit .406 and Joe Dimaggio had his 56-game hitting streak and was the MVP," said Rick Mettee, the North American-based assistant to Godolphin Racing trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who has Girolamo and Regal Ransom in the Classic.

"We'd like it to be on dirt, but it is the championships," Mettee added. "You can't win the AFC Championship game and then pass the Super Bowl because you don't like where it's played."

Zenyatta is certainly the star attraction in the Classic, which highlights Day 2 of the 26th Breeders' Cup. She is unquestionably the best older filly or mare in the country. Now, the stakes get raised.

"For Zenyatta at this point in her career, the Classic is obviously a big challenge," Shirreffs said. "But to not do it, when she's doing particularly well, would be just as big a mistake. Mr. Moss is not thinking Horse of the Year as much as wanting to see Zenyatta compete at the highest level."

The fans are expected to be in her corner. Jon White of Santa Anita has installed her as the morning-line favorite.

"Zenyatta brings so much excitement to the race," said Baffert, who will try to beat her with Richard's Kid.

Zenyatta will put on a show before the race. She is quite the ham in the paddock, stretching and prancing, throwing her legs out like a Rockette. But first, she admires the scene.

"When she walks to the paddock, she stands there like some Roman god," said her jockey, Mike Smith.

Zenyatta regularly trains at Hollywood Park. She came to Santa Anita on Wednesday afternoon, and had a routine gallop on Thursday morning. She will be racing 1 1/4 miles for the first time.

"She's never failed to catch her target," said her exercise rider, Steve Willard.

Even those who rarely have seen Zenyatta accord her great respect. Christophe Clement, who is sending out Gio Ponti in the Classic, wishes Zenyatta would have run Friday in the Ladies' Classic, which she won last year.

"We're all trying to make a living around here," Clement said, joking.

Rip Van Winkle, the European standout expected to vie for favoritism with Zenyatta, galloped on Thursday morning. Even though he has been battling foot problems, he was not wearing any corrective shoeing on Thursday morning.

The Classic is the ninth race on a 10-race card that begins at 10:05 a.m. Pacific with the Damascus Stakes. Eight Breeders' Cup races follow, beginning with the Juvenile Turf at 10:45. The Sprint begins an all-Breeders' Cup pick six that has a mandatory payout. The Classic, the last BC race of the day, has a scheduled post time of 3:45 p.m. The Oak Tree Derby follows the Classic and completes the card.

All the Breeders' Cup races will be televised live, first from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific on ABC, then from 12:30 until 4 on ESPN.

The weather has been delightful all week and is forecast to remain so through Saturday, with predictions calling for a high temperature of 75 degrees, partly cloudy skies, and no chance of rain.