Nobody loves a longshot in the Derby more than me. Derby Day is a day for handicappers to make their score because it’s a lot easier to bet against the public than the pros. The public only bets on the races a couple of times a year, and this is one of them.
Because the public overbets the favorites and ignores live underdogs there are some wonderful prices to be had. And as much as I love a good longshot in the Derby I can’t ignore this year’s favorite, I Want Revenge. ‘Revenge’ reminds me of Bobby Frankel’s superhorse a few years ago, Empire Maker. They both won the Wood Memorial so easily you couldn’t imagine how they could ever lose again.
‘Revenge’ has tactical speed and proved he can spot the field seven lengths and still win for fun. In California, when he was just learning the game, he lost twice to Bob Baffert’s Pioneer of the Nile, while looking more impressive both times in defeat. But those races were on synthetic surfaces, not good old fashioned Kentucky dirt. Baffert is scared to death to find out how PON will run on dirt, which is why he kept him on the fake stuff for his final prep.
The great Bill Mott had PON last year and raced him on grass twice and synthetic twice. If Mott thought he would do well on dirt he could have run him on it at Saratoga, but chose the grass instead. So, to me, Pioneer of the Nile is the phony of this crowd. He’ll be second or third choice in the 20 horse field, and you can throw him out of making the exacta.
Mott, though, has a horse in Hold Me Back, who could be the longshot we’re all looking for. Mott has never won the Derby and has only started one other horse in it. It’s a clear signal he thinks this one has a big shot. HMB had one uneventful try on dirt, running out of the money after being four-wide the entire trip. He took time off and Mott brought him back to win the Lanes End in spectacular fashion and then took second in the Blue Grass. He’ll be at least 15-1.
Two others who will be flying at the end will be Chocolate Candy and General Quarters. Chocolate Candy was very impressive closing for second in the Santa Anita derby after having a wide trip while fighting a slow early pace. He’s coming to form perfectly. GQ has been sharp, showing two wins and two seconds in his last five races—all stakes. They’ll both be double digits and both are working well this week. Use them in your boxes.
Godolphin is back with two good horses they bought here last summer and trained all winter in Dubai. They are Regal Ransom, sure to be near the lead, and Desert Party. For a change they look like a contenders and the sheik has won just about every other major race in the world, so why not this one?
To me the big mystery horses are Dunkirk and Friesan Fire. Dunkirk has only had three starts and that’s not a suggested way to beat 19 others at 10 furlongs the first Saturday of May. He’s trained by Todd Pletcher, a great trainer, who’s never won this race. Pletcher is starting a couple others with no chance and it feels like he’s rushing Dunkirk into this spot. Maybe he’s just throwing stuff against the wall, hoping something will stick.
Friesan Fire had either a great or terrible workout earlier in the week, going five furlongs in :57 4/5. Great because the time was so fast. Terrible because he was exhausted at the finish and had nothing left. But he is trained by Larry Jones, who had the second place Derby finishers the last two years, and that’s how he likes to train. FF has won three straight but has been off for seven weeks, which could explain why he was so tired after his work.
So here’s the bet: use I Want Revenge for first, with Hold Me Back, Chocolate Candy and General Quarters for second and third, with Desert Party, Regal Ransom, Dunkirk, Friesan Fire and West Side Bernie for third only. For a $1 trifecta part-wheel it will cost $24.If you can afford it, play I Want Revenge in the second spot, with the three originally picked for second on top for another $24. If it hits dinner is on you.
--30--
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
When Madden Retired from Coaching, NBC Said No Before CBS Said Yes
Turned Down by NBC, John Madden Almost Missed the Boat
by Rich Podolsky
When John Madden quit coaching the Raiders after 10 seasons, he was just 43 years old with no plan in mind. He had no idea of what he would do next.
All he knew was that he didn’t want to fly or coach any more. It turns out Madden was claustrophobic. He wouldn’t even get in an elevator if he could avoid it.
I first met John Madden while covering the Miami Dolphins in 1974. A few years later after the Raiders won the Super Bowl, our paths crossed again. I was working for the TV production company that produced The Superstars and The Superteams for ABC, and Madden was part of the Raider contingent flying to Hawaii for The Superteams shows.
In Hawaii, he and I wound up talking football until 2 a.m. each night in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It really opened my eyes to what a well-rounded, interesting guy Madden was. A year later I took job writing for CBS Sports and was one of the first to welcome Madden to his new profession. But along the way Madden nearly missed having one of the greatest broadcasting careers in history.
“After I retired I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he told me. “I went to the stadium the first week of the season, but didn’t feel comfortable anywhere, so by the opening kickoff I turned around and drove home. When I got there, no one was there. My family had figured out how to fill their Sundays without me.”
So Madden puttered around and thought about what he’d like to do. Like other ex-coaches he thought he’d try TV. Back in the ‘70s NBC was doing AFC games and seemed a natural fit for Madden. But the NBC execs didn’t “get” him and eventually said no thanks. “It was one of the biggest mistakes we ever made,” NBC honcho Don Ohlmeyer later said.
It looked like Madden was back to square one when a character named Frank Ross entered the picture. Ross, a former personnel guy for the Chiefs, was freelancing on Sundays as an “information guy” for CBS’ The NFL Today. But everyone seemed to know Frank from his outrageous antics at Runyon’s, a New York sports media hangout.
Ross decided Madden was too good not be on the air. Even though Ross had no standing at CBS he had endeared himself to CBS Sports past president, Barry Frank, who was at that moment the top TV agent for powerful IMG. Somehow Ross convinced Frank to meet Madden and represent him. Once he did, he got his old friends at CBS to hire him.
By midseason that first year at CBS, Madden and partner Gary Bender, had worked their way up to the number three broadcast team for the network. Everyone kind of knew that there was something special about the way Madden talked to the audience, but they were all afraid to say so. Then one Sunday in October he started ranting about the officiating-- not like a former coach who was afraid to hurt anyone’s feelings, but like a fan at home screaming at their TV. The reaction from both the press and the viewers was amazing.
A month later Madden was paired with Pat Summerall for game in Tampa, three days after Thanksgiving. Summerall and his partner Tom Brookshier had worked on Thanksgiving Day and Brookie asked for that Sunday off. Since Summerall lived in Florida, he didn’t mind working the Tampa game. With a pro like Summerall giving Madden the space he needed, the entertainment quotient of the broadcast went sky high.
It was the beginning of a partnership that lasted more than 20 years.
Now, at the age of 73, Madden has decided to call it a day and spend more time with his family. That is, if he can find them.
--30--
by Rich Podolsky
When John Madden quit coaching the Raiders after 10 seasons, he was just 43 years old with no plan in mind. He had no idea of what he would do next.
All he knew was that he didn’t want to fly or coach any more. It turns out Madden was claustrophobic. He wouldn’t even get in an elevator if he could avoid it.
I first met John Madden while covering the Miami Dolphins in 1974. A few years later after the Raiders won the Super Bowl, our paths crossed again. I was working for the TV production company that produced The Superstars and The Superteams for ABC, and Madden was part of the Raider contingent flying to Hawaii for The Superteams shows.
In Hawaii, he and I wound up talking football until 2 a.m. each night in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It really opened my eyes to what a well-rounded, interesting guy Madden was. A year later I took job writing for CBS Sports and was one of the first to welcome Madden to his new profession. But along the way Madden nearly missed having one of the greatest broadcasting careers in history.
“After I retired I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he told me. “I went to the stadium the first week of the season, but didn’t feel comfortable anywhere, so by the opening kickoff I turned around and drove home. When I got there, no one was there. My family had figured out how to fill their Sundays without me.”
So Madden puttered around and thought about what he’d like to do. Like other ex-coaches he thought he’d try TV. Back in the ‘70s NBC was doing AFC games and seemed a natural fit for Madden. But the NBC execs didn’t “get” him and eventually said no thanks. “It was one of the biggest mistakes we ever made,” NBC honcho Don Ohlmeyer later said.
It looked like Madden was back to square one when a character named Frank Ross entered the picture. Ross, a former personnel guy for the Chiefs, was freelancing on Sundays as an “information guy” for CBS’ The NFL Today. But everyone seemed to know Frank from his outrageous antics at Runyon’s, a New York sports media hangout.
Ross decided Madden was too good not be on the air. Even though Ross had no standing at CBS he had endeared himself to CBS Sports past president, Barry Frank, who was at that moment the top TV agent for powerful IMG. Somehow Ross convinced Frank to meet Madden and represent him. Once he did, he got his old friends at CBS to hire him.
By midseason that first year at CBS, Madden and partner Gary Bender, had worked their way up to the number three broadcast team for the network. Everyone kind of knew that there was something special about the way Madden talked to the audience, but they were all afraid to say so. Then one Sunday in October he started ranting about the officiating-- not like a former coach who was afraid to hurt anyone’s feelings, but like a fan at home screaming at their TV. The reaction from both the press and the viewers was amazing.
A month later Madden was paired with Pat Summerall for game in Tampa, three days after Thanksgiving. Summerall and his partner Tom Brookshier had worked on Thanksgiving Day and Brookie asked for that Sunday off. Since Summerall lived in Florida, he didn’t mind working the Tampa game. With a pro like Summerall giving Madden the space he needed, the entertainment quotient of the broadcast went sky high.
It was the beginning of a partnership that lasted more than 20 years.
Now, at the age of 73, Madden has decided to call it a day and spend more time with his family. That is, if he can find them.
--30--
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Masters: Pressure Like No Other
What is it about the last nine holes of The Masters that makes great players forget their great. Not just this year, but every year guys will be sailing along and all of sudden realize their in contention and boom--down they go.
I'm not just talking about great players like Kenny Perry and Chad Cambell but spectaular players like Phil and Tiger, too. As soon as Michelson got within a stroke of the lead, boom--he hits it into the crick. And when we he had a chance to make up for that he blew short, easy putts on 15 and 17.
Tiger's another jerk. He thinks he's still 21 and indestructible. Just one stroke behind going to 17, Woods hit his driver clear through the fairway and into oblivion. Then consider Perry. After hitting within two feet of the hole and birdieing 16, all he needed was a par and a bogey to win. He should have been totally relaxed. Instead he totally collapsed, bogeying both 17 and 18 and then missing the fairway on the first playoff hole, and completely choking on the second one.
Even the winner, Angel Cabrara, was trying to give the tournament away. Down the stretch he shanked a key shot on15 and then hit his drive on 18 behind a tree. When he tried to punch it out he hit another tree and was as lucky as can be to find his ball back in the fairway. From there he hit a decent wedge and made his putt to tie.
These guys completly wilt under the pressure. It's just a golf match, for pete's sake. It's not losing your job or having to pay the rent or the light bill. Half of these guys would let their caddies take the shot for them if they could. Will someone please step forward and pretend to be a man.
--30--
I'm not just talking about great players like Kenny Perry and Chad Cambell but spectaular players like Phil and Tiger, too. As soon as Michelson got within a stroke of the lead, boom--he hits it into the crick. And when we he had a chance to make up for that he blew short, easy putts on 15 and 17.
Tiger's another jerk. He thinks he's still 21 and indestructible. Just one stroke behind going to 17, Woods hit his driver clear through the fairway and into oblivion. Then consider Perry. After hitting within two feet of the hole and birdieing 16, all he needed was a par and a bogey to win. He should have been totally relaxed. Instead he totally collapsed, bogeying both 17 and 18 and then missing the fairway on the first playoff hole, and completely choking on the second one.
Even the winner, Angel Cabrara, was trying to give the tournament away. Down the stretch he shanked a key shot on15 and then hit his drive on 18 behind a tree. When he tried to punch it out he hit another tree and was as lucky as can be to find his ball back in the fairway. From there he hit a decent wedge and made his putt to tie.
These guys completly wilt under the pressure. It's just a golf match, for pete's sake. It's not losing your job or having to pay the rent or the light bill. Half of these guys would let their caddies take the shot for them if they could. Will someone please step forward and pretend to be a man.
--30--
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