![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1){kind=small}
FIRST-mile; pace; $8,500; claim
1
CamVnBussel(CMnz)
4.50
3.10
2.10
5
Bordeaux (M MacDonald)
4.80
2.80
4
Won Nite In Vegas (B Holland)
2.70
* Exacta (1-5) $39.00 * Triple (1-5-4) $101.00Scr: Dragon Island.
Winner picked by Smith
SECOND-mile; trot; $17,000; cond
1
RookeMstk(LStlbum)
9.70
6.20
3.30
5
Bad BoyBilly(MMacDonald)
12.60
9.60
6
Photo King (E Goodell)
3.50
* Exacta (1-5) $80.00 * Triple (1-5-6) $616.00 * Daily double (1-1) $26.20
THIRD-mile; pace; $12,000; claim
5
Goddss'sJustn(CMnz)
12.80
4.20
3.50
2
All Star Dragon (GBrennan)
2.90
2.20
4
Box Car Johnnie (J Stratton)
5.70
* Exacta (5-2) $32.20 * Triple (5-2-4) $140.50 * Superfecta (5-2-4-6) $642.00
FOURTH-mile; trot; $17,000; cond
5
GottBePrfct(LStlbum)
18.80
7.00
3.80
2
Franks Best (G Brennan)
3.00
2.40
4
Whybabywhy (B Holland)
3.30
* Exacta (5-2) $61.00 * Triple (5-2-4) $213.50 * Pick 3 (1-2-5) $582.00
FIFTH-mile; pace; $12,000; claim
4
Dan Chaz (E Goodell)
4.20
3.00
2.30
1
AwesomArmbroN(JStrtton)
3.50
3.20
3
Indian Giver N (J Gregory)
4.60
* Exacta (4-1) $18.00 * Triple (4-1-3) $94.00 * Superfecta (4-1-3-2) $245.00
SIXTH-mile; trot; $33,000; Open
3
CelbrtyBluchp(JBrtltt)
10.00
4.60
3.30
5
Farifant (M MacDonald)
8.30
3.50
7
Flex The Muscle (J Gregory)
2.80
* Exacta (3-5) $83.00 * Triple (3-5-7) $349.50 * Pick 4 (5-5-4-3) $5,353.00Scr: Some Like It Hot.
SEVENTH-mile; pace; $12,000; claim
2
Smllthcolrnn(JStrttn)
2.70
2.10
2.10
4
AdventureBound(GBrennn)
3.60
2.60
1
Bullville Player (L Stalbaum)
2.50
* Exacta (2-4) $13.20 * Triple (2-4-1) $36.40 * Pick 3 (4-3-2) $79.00
Triple picked by Smith
EIGHTH-mile; pace; $27,000; handicap
5
HelloGretMt(BHollnd)
28.80
11.40
6.00
4
Bet On Luck (J Pantaleano)
10.80
6.30
8
Keepers Destiny (E Goodell)
6.30
* Exacta (5-4) $181.00 * Triple (5-4-8) $2,208.00 * Superfecta (5-4-8-6) $15,612.00
NINTH-mile trot; $20,000; cond.
5
BrckyrdToots(RByns)
34.80
13.80
7.20
6
Mugshot Jess (C Manzi)
7.40
4.50
8
Armbro Barrister (J Gregory)
13.80
* Ext. (5-6) $192.00 * Triple (5-6-8) $2,137.00
TENTH-mile; trot; $23,000; cond.
1
Blcktxwhtscks(GBrnn)
2.40
2.10
2.10
2
Speed Bomb (J Bartlett)
3.40
2.70
5
Baby Boy Grin (L Stalbaum)
3.80
* Exacta (1-2) $8.10 * Triple (1-2-5) $25.00 * Superfecta (1-2-5-4) $153.50 * Pick 3 (5-5-1) $1,549.00 * Pick 4 (2-5-5-1) $1,597.00
Exatca picked by Smith
ELEVENTH-mile; pace; $17,000; cond.
3
MedaDrlng(LStlbum)
20.80
7.40
4.60
4
UpFrontKelleJo(MMcDonld)
3.60
2.40
2
Patsys Luck (J Bartlett)
2.40
* Exacta (3-4) $62.00 * Triple (3-4-2) $260.00 * Superfecta (3-4-2-1) $1,103.00 * Late double (1-3) $23.80
Attendance: Unavailable
Total Handle: $833,230
E Goodell, E Goodell, J Gregory, B Holland, pace, pace, L Stalbaum, M MacDonald
Peter Vecsey
HOOP DU JOUR
Tennyson, anyone? With apologies to Alfred Lord, “’Tis better to have made the playoffs and lost every game than to never have made the scene.”
That reworded quote figures to serve as the spin-dry James Dolan’s drones will put on the Knicks’ season, which figures to end with a whimper this afternoon in a league-record 14th consecutive playoff poop.
Accepting the fact there are no such thing as moral victories, Camp Cablevision’s play for much of the first three games has been downright immoral — outscored by an average of 20 points per pounding and out-distanced in every other category except paramedics in the locker room and the ever-popular turning “interim head coach” to “interred.”
Peter Zerneck spent his entire day working on his team’s baseball field in Red Hook. With an ominous forecast over the next week, the St. Ann’s baseball coach wasn’t sure his players would have another opportunity to face Berkeley Carroll, its ACIS rival, for a while.
In the sixth inning, as St. Ann’s and Berkeley Carroll were locked in an exciting slugfest, Zerneck turned to his assistant.
“It was worth it,” he said, referring to the field cleanup.
An hour later, those feelings were heightened when the Steamers pulled out a dramatic, 8-7, nine-inning victory to take over the top spot in the ACIS. With the bases loaded and one out, Omura Booth flared a game-winning single into shallow left field.
Denis Gostev
St. Ann's Ivan Zeavin-Mossgot stronger as the game went on in the Steamers' 8-7 win over Berkeley Carroll on Thursday.
Photos: Berkeley Carroll-St. Ann's
Denis Gostev
Berkeley Carroll players celebrate a big hit.
Photos: Berkeley Carroll-St. Ann's
“They’re a consistently good team every year, they play the right way, that’s why it feels good to beat them,” Zerneck said. “If they weren’t in first place or we weren’t in first place, it would mean just as much to beat them.”
It was a wild three hours between the two private school rivals, momentum turns virtually every inning. They combined for 18 hits, 12 from St. Ann’s, and eight of the extra-base variety.
St. Ann’s (6-3, 6-1) staked starter Ivan Zeavin-Moss to a 3-0 lead, but Berkeley Carroll (12-2, 5-2) answered with five runs in the third, the big blow Anthony Spina’s three-run double. The Steamers answered with a run in the third and three in the fourth as Sam Premutico stroked a three-run double of his own. The Lions pulled even with two in the fifth and from there it was a pitcher’s duel.
Zeavin-Moss settled down and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. He began working backwards – breaking balls to get ahead in the count, fastballs to put away hitters – and struck out seven in his last three innings of work alone and 12 altogether. Sophomore Lucas Mokler pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
“It was all in my approach,” said Zeavin-Moss, the senior righthander. “I didn’t feel different with my stuff. They were a little bit more off balance.”
Berkeley Carroll reliever Ian Miller, meanwhile, came on in the fifth and was extremely effective. The staff ace worked 4-1/3 innings, struck out five and allowed just the one run. He seemed to be on his way wiggling out a major jam in the ninth.
With the bases loaded and none out, Miller fanned Lukas Mokler and appeared to have done the same to Omura Booth with an 0-2 fastball. The home-plate umpire called the pitch a ball and on the next offering, Booth blooped a single to left.
Jack Harnett went halfway, creating a close play at the plate. The throw beat him, but the home-plate umpire said Harnett narrowly beat left fielder Will Regan's throw to the plate. Berkeley Carroll coach Walter Paller protested the call as St. Ann’s celebrated the victory.
Paller declined to discuss the final play. He felt St. Ann’s earned the victory.
“St. Ann’s acted their age,” he said. “They have a team full of seniors and they were mentally tough. They made all the plays. … It’s a shame the game ended in controversy because they deserved to win on a base hit.”
With the win, the Steamers are now in the driver’s seat in the ACIS, a game up on Berkeley Carroll, the league’s perennial power. The two teams do meet again at a date to be announced – Wednesday’s matchup was rained out – but at the worst St. Ann’s is in prime position to at least share the division crown with the powerhouse Lions.
“Every time we play Berkeley Carroll it’s a big game,” Zeavin-Moss said. “But with first place on the line, there was that extra motivation.”
Winning the ACIS is just one goal for St. Ann’s. After failing to reach the NYSAISAA tournament last year, the Steamers would like a crack at some of the Ivy Prep League’s best in a few weeks. Berkeley Carroll, after all, reached the NYSAIS final last year, won it all a few years ago and has handily defeated Ivy League foes Riverdale, Hackley and Collegiate.
“If we play good baseball,” Zerneck said, “I think we can play with anybody.”
zbraziller@nypost.com
Berkeley Carroll, Berkeley Carroll, Steamers, ACIS, ACIS, Omura Booth, Peter Zerneck, Berkeley Carroll-St
Kevin Kernan
Follow Kevin on Twitter
The torch will be officially passed Friday night at Citi Field when Darryl Strawberry presents David Wright with an award for breaking his Mets career RBI record, but it is not just about numbers when it comes to Wright.
The perceptive Strawberry, who recently turned 50, sees so much more when it comes to Wright, and actually sees light at the end of the tunnel for these Mets.
“I played there for so many years [1983 through 1990] and held so many records,’’ Strawberry told The Post Thursday. “Records are there to be broken. Someone will come along; either you are alive to see them or you might not be alive to see them. I’m able to see such a fine young man, personal ability aside, as a person, just a man of true character to break that record, it makes me proud. I hope David sits on the top for a long time and I know he will because just look how long it took him to break mine.’’
Getty Images
David Wright
Strawberry drove in 733 runs as a Met. Wright, who broke the mark on April 25 with a two-run home run, now has 739 RBIs. Wright also leads the Mets in career doubles (285), total bases (2,158), and extra base hits (489). He is also closing in on several other significant career records.
The Mets have a $16 million option on Wright’s contract for next season and have said they want Wright to remain a Met for years to come.
“This is not an easy place to accomplish what he has accomplished,’’ said Strawberry, who won a World Series with the Mets when he was 24. “The most impressive aspect is that Wright has bounced back from some tough times.
“There have been some valleys, some ups and downs,’’ Strawberry said. “The good thing about that is that he has learned to deal with all that. My thing that makes me proud of him is that he didn’t quit because he had some great years to start off and then there were some valley years, but he hung in there through injuries and adversity that you have to go through as a baseball player.’’
Wright, 29, already has played for four different managers and since he signed in 2001 has played under four different general managers. There has been a heart-breaking playoff loss, collapses, rebuilding, a beaning, a broken bone in his back, and Wright has persevered.
“David has a great deal of respect for players who played before him and you rarely see that,’’ Strawberry said. “He has a great sense of baseball history and respect for the players who played here and were winners.’’
Wright has said he wants to experience what Strawberry experienced in 1986.
“It is about winning,’’ Strawberry said. “Numbers are numbers, but if you don’t win, it doesn’t mean a bunch of stuff. Some of the greatest players who have ever played don’t know what it feels like to be in that championship circle. Nobody remembers you unless you are a winner.”
“I do think the Mets are headed in the right direction,’’ Strawberry added. “From the younger players I see, they have a good chance in the future. This year, I don’t know, but I know they have some really good young players and they are developing. They are struggling right now, but that’s OK. Their day will come, if they just keep hanging with it. They’re on their way. I like what I see. They’re learning from their struggles. Sometimes you just got to hang on a little longer.’’
Wright continues to hang on, hoping for better days while putting up club record numbers along the way.
kevin.kernan@nypost.com
Darryl Strawberry, Strawberry, Strawberry, David Wright, Mets, the Mets online, the Mets
(Game time)
2012
'11 vs OPP
CAREER
LAST 3 STARTS
LINE
W-L
ERA
*REC
W-L
ERA
vs OPP
W-L
IP
ERA
*AHW
Yankees
Phelps (R)
6 1/2-7 1/2
0-0
3.57
0-0
—
—
0-0
---
----
----
----
Royals
Duffy (L)
(8:10pm)
1-2
3.63
1-2
0-1
24.00
0-1
1-2
17.1
3.63
11.9
Phillies
Blanton (R)
(12:10pm)
2-3
3.81
2-2
0-1
3.86
1-4
1-2
18.1
4.42
13.7
Braves
Delgado (R)
5 1/2-6 1/2
2-2
6.30
2-2
0-0
3.60
0-0
1-2
15.0
7.20
16.8
Cubs
Dempster (R)
(12:35pm)
0-1
1.33
0-3
2-2
2.81
7-8
0-1
20.1
1.33
8.4
Reds
Bailey (R)
6-7
1-2
3.60
1-3
1-0
5.25
3-2
1-1
19.1
2.79
11.6
Pirates
Bedard (L)
(1:45pm)
1-4
2.48
1-4
—
—
0-1
1-2
17.0
2.65
13.2
Cardinals
Westbrook (R)
7-8
3-1
1.30
3-1
0-1
6.17
0-4
2-1
20.2
1.74
9.1
Marlins
Sanchez (R)
(3:45 p.m.)
1-0
2.73
3-1
—
—
2-0
0-0
20.0
2.70
9.0
Giants
Vogelsong (R)
Even-6
0-1
4.19
1-2
1-1
1.72
1-2
0-1
19.1
4.19
10.7
D'Backs
Kennedy (R)
(7:05pm)
3-0
3.38
3-2
1-0
0.64
2-1
1-0
19.1
3.72
13.5
Nationals
Detwiler (L)
Even-6
2-1
1.64
2-2
1-0
1.35
1-1
1-1
17.0
2.12
10.1
Mariners
Millwood (R)
(1:10pm)
0-2
5.24
1-3
—
—
3-3
0-2
16.1
6.61
16.0
Rays
Niemann (R)
8 1/2-10
1-3
3.86
1-3
1-0
0.00
4-0
1-2
16.0
3.38
9.6
Indians
Masterson (R)
(8:10pm)
0-2
5.40
2-3
2-2
1.61
3-5
0-1
17.0
7.41
16.9
White Sox
Danks (L)
Even-6
2-3
6.23
2-3
0-1
3.00
4-7
1-2
18.2
6.75
13.5
Blue Jays
Morrow (R)
(10:05pm)
2-1
3.03
3-2
0-1
5.14
0-3
2-1
18.2
3.37
11.6
Angels
Haren (R)
6 1/2-7 1/2
1-1
3.34
1-4
2-0
2.25
7-2
1-0
22.0
1.64
7.4
* REC: Won-lost record of pitcher's team in games he has started.
* AHW: Average total of hits and walks yielded per nine innings.
Nypost.com
After four mostly unproductive years at Grady, Tymell Murphy was faced with a large question mark: what to do next?
He could either get a job or look into obtaining his GED. Before going in either route, however, a friend suggested he give PSAL alternative school Marcy Avenue a look. There, he could earn a high school diploma and play basketball – which he never did at Grady because of academic problems. It was the best of both worlds.
“It was the best decision of my life,” the 21-year-old Coney Island native said.
Four years later, that’s stating the obvious.
South Plains College
Coney Island native Tymell Murphy has signed with Florida International.
After a solid two-year career at Marcy and one year apiece at JUCOs South Plains College (Tx.) and Mohawk Valley Community College (N.Y.), Murphy made himself into a Division I prospect. On Tuesday he signed with Florida International and new coach Richard Pitino, son of Hall-of-Famer Rick Pitino.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “It’s one of the goals I set for myself when I started playing basketball. I wanted to go to the highest level of basketball. … I feel very humble about this experience and very excited. I know I’m going to be in a great place in Florida.”
The 6-foot-5 guard chose the Panthers over Bradley, Central Michigan, Wichita State, Fordham and Iona in part because of Richard Pitino, who coached under his father at Louisville, for Billy Donovan at Florida and also at Duquesne and Northeastern.
“Coach Richard Pitino being a first-year coach and me being new, I’m really excited,” he said of his new coach, who took over for Isiah Thomas two weeks ago. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me. He explained what he was trying to do at FIU. I feel it’s a great place for me.”
Murphy was a big part of South Plains’ success, as one of its top rebounders, defenders and playmakers. He averaged 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds for a team that went a perfect 36-0 and won the NJCAA championship, the first JUCO team to go undefeated since 1998.
"We are fired up about the addition of Tymell Murphy," Richard Pitino said in a statement. "Anytime you have an opportunity to bring a student-athlete in from a national championship program, you are fortunate. Tymell can play multiple positions and will be able to provide necessary leadership.”
At the season’s outset, assistant coach Hank Plona said Murphy was a starter because of his versatility, namely his elite rebounding ability and defensive prowess, but as the year went on and his shot improved, he became a focal part of the offense. The FIU staff told Plona they think Murphy can help the moment he steps on campus.
“I don’t think he’s anywhere close to his ceiling,” Plona said. “He can go to FIU and be a starter right away. He can absolutely be a big impact guy.”
That’s music to Murphy’s ears. From a young age, he always loved the sport but while at Grady he could never get on the court because of academic issues. He didn’t have his priorities in order, he said. When his grandmother Alice Gilyard and good friend Vincent Carmona passed away, he woke up. Neither would be happy with his current plight. He landed at Marcy and began taking academics seriously and putting in even more work on the basketball court.
“I told myself I’m going to do everything in my power to play the game of basketball and do something positive,” he recalled.
zbraziller@nypost.com
Tymell Murphy, Tymell Murphy, Richard Pitino, Florida International, Coach Richard Pitino, FIU, Mohawk Valley Community College, basketball, basketball, Florida, Murphy, Murphy, South Plains College, South Plains
(Game time)
2012
'11 vs OPP
CAREER
LAST 3 STARTS
LINE
W-L
ERA
*REC
W-L
ERA
vs OPP
W-L
IP
ERA
*AHW
Orioles
Arrieta (R)
(7:05pm)
1-2
4.45
2-3
0-1
4.24
2-1
0-2
16.2
5.94
12.4
Yankees
Nova (R)
8 1/2-10
3-0
5.18
4-0
2-0
3.72
3-0
2-0
17.1
6.23
16.1
Mets
Schwinden (R)
(2:05pm)
0-0
11.25
0-1
—
—
0-0
0-0
4.0
11.25
18.0
Astros
Rodriguez (L)
6-7
2-2
1.72
2-3
1-0
1.29
3-2
2-1
20.0
1.35
8.6
Dodgers
Kershaw (L)
7 1/2-8 1/2
2-0
1.78
5-0
1-1
5.30
6-4
2-0
20.1
2.21
8.9
Rockies
Pomeranz (L)
(3:10pm)
0-1
5.40
1-2
—
—
0-0
0-1
13.1
5.40
16.2
Brewers
Gallardo (R)
5 1/2-6 1/2
1-2
6.07
2-3
1-0
3.00
2-1
0-1
16.0
6.19
14.1
Padres
Suppan (R)
(6:35pm)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
D'Backs
Saunders (L)
(7:05pm)
2-1
0.90
2-2
1-1
2.77
2-2
2-1
23.0
1.17
7.8
Nationals
Jackson (R)
5 1/2-6 1/2
1-1
3.16
1-3
0-1
5.40
1-2
1-1
20.2
2.61
8.3
Cubs
Smardzija (R)
(7:10pm)
2-1
4.13
3-1
0-0
2.79
0-0
1-1
15.1
5.87
17.6
Reds
Arroyo (R)
7-8
1-0
2.70
3-1
0-1
3.66
9-8
1-0
20.1
1.77
8.4
Phillies
Halladay (R)
Even-6
3-2
1.95
3-2
0-1
3.00
4-1
1-2
22.0
2.86
11.0
Braves
Hanson (R)
(7:10pm)
3-2
3.00
3-2
0-0
1.29
1-2
2-1
20.0
3.15
9.9
Pirates
Burnett (R)
(8:15pm)
1-1
1.38
1-1
—
—
5-3
1-1
13.0
1.38
9.7
Cardinals
Lynn (R)
8-9
4-0
1.33
4-0
0-0
4.50
1-0
3-0
20.1
1.33
8.4
Marlins
Zambrano (R)
(10:15pm)
0-2
3.24
0-4
0-0
0.00
5-1
0-2
19.0
2.37
11.4
Giants
Zito (L)
5 1/2-6 1/2
1-0
1.67
3-1
—
—
5-1
0-0
18.0
2.50
10.5
Rangers
Harrison (L)
(12:37pm)
3-1
3.37
3-1
0-1
10.24
0-1
2-1
20.2
4.35
13.1
Blue Jays
Romero (L)
Pick
3-0
3.18
4-1
—
—
2-1
2-0
20.2
3.05
10.9
Royals
Sanchez (L)
(1:05pm)
1-1
6.75
1-3
—
—
0-1
0-1
12.1
8.03
20.4
Tigers
Verlander (R)
11-13
2-1
2.41
3-2
3-0
1.59
14-2
2-0
21.0
2.57
9.9
Athletics
McCarthy (R)
(7:10pm)
1-3
3.23
2-4
—
—
1-3
1-2
21.0
3.86
13.7
Red Sox
Bard (R)
8 1/2-10
2-2
3.72
1-2
0-0
0.00
0-0
1-2
18.2
3.86
13.0
Mariners
Beavan (R)
(7:10pm)
1-2
3.60
2-2
—
—
0-0
1-1
18.2
4.34
10.1
Rays
Shields (R)
10-12
4-0
3.31
5-0
0-1
11.12
3-4
3-0
22.1
2.01
9.7
Indians
Tomlin (R)
(8:10pm)
1-2
5.48
1-2
—
—
0-1
1-2
17.2
4.58
11.7
White Sox
Humber (R)
6-7
1-1
4.66
1-2
0-1
7.42
0-1
1-1
19.1
4.66
9.3
Twins
Hendriks (R)
(10:05pm)
0-1
6.89
1-2
—
—
0-0
0-1
15.2
6.89
14.4
Angels
Weaver (R)
11-13
3-0
2.02
3-2
1-0
3.86
5-2
2-0
21.2
1.25
9.1
* REC: Won-lost record of pitcher's team in games he has started.
* AHW: Average total of hits and walks yielded per nine innings.
Nypost.com
Boy, that was lucky!
A pair of New York hedge funds bagged millions yesterday after Microsoft announced it was investing $605 million in Barnes & Noble’s Nook reading device — and their timing was extraordinarily good.
Jana Partners, a fund headed by activist investor Barry Rosenstein, saw a paper gain of $51 million yesterday, as shares of B&N it had purchased just 10 days earlier surged 52 percent on the Nook news, roaring to close at $20.75.
Meanwhile, investor Whitney Tilson — who was famously on the wrong side of Netflix shares more than once as they seesawed last year — appears to have reaped a single-day bonanza of more than $20 million on a stake he acquired just last week.
Bloomberg
Whitney Tilson
“We did get awfully lucky on the timing (for once!),” Tilson told The Post in an e-mail.
The impeccable timing, however, could attract scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission over whether the investors benefited from insider information, legal experts said.
“The thought, of course, crossed our minds,” Tilson said, asked about the possibility of a federal probe. “But, as always, we relied on publicly available information so we have nothing to worry about.”
Still, the high-profile deal — which could herald a high-stakes, global e-reader battle pitting Microsoft and B&N against Amazon — may throw an uncomfortable light on the trades, says lawyer Bob Benowitz, a partner at Rick, Steiner, Fell & Benowitz.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it raised the curiosity of the SEC,” Benowitz said.
Tilson said it was only last Tuesday that he bought a B&N stake equal to 2 percent of the company, as well as options for an additional 2 percent — despite the fact, until that day, he had been advising investors to short the stock.
Indeed, B&N shares were down 5.5 percent before yesterday’s surprising Microsoft investment.
“You might not believe this in light of this morning’s news,” Tilson wrote to investors yesterday morning, maintaining he had already written a report “over the weekend” to disclose his flip-flop on B&N.
Jana didn’t respond to requests for comment. In an interview with CNBC yesterday, Jana’s Rosenstein said his firm “thought there was a very high probability that some sort of strategic transaction like this would occur.”
In addition to nearly 7 million shares, Jana bought options to buy 250,000 shares at $13 each, which expire May 18.
Jana Partners owns a stake of more than $100 million in Liberty Media, controlled by billionaire John Malone, which invested $204 million in B&N last year, gaining two seats on the board. Jana also owns a big stake in Expedia, on whose board Malone also sits, and whose shares on Friday surged 26 percent on better-than-expected earnings.
jcovert@nypost.com
Whitney Tilson, Microsoft, Barry Rosenstein, Bob Benowitz, good.Jana Partners, Barnes , impeccable timing, stake
Mike Smith
Mike Smith, the Hall of Fame jockey who rode 50-1 shot Giacomo to victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby, will be aboard Bodemeister, one of the favorites in Saturday’s Run for the Roses. As told to Ed Fountaine.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — I flew into Louisville yesterday, and today I’m driving down to Lane’s End Farm to see Zenyatta and her new foal, a colt by Bernardini.
I’ve seen her several times since she retired. Every time I go to Kentucky, I try to pop in.
It’s great to see her out there, relaxed, enjoying herself, sound and happy.
I can’t wait to see the baby.
As time goes on, I’m not sure she’ll remember me, but the last time I was there she recognized me.
A lot of people were trying to coax her over to the fence, and I walked up and called her.
She came running. It was pretty cool. Everyone was kind of impressed.
All the fans still remember her.
When I’m at the track, it doesn’t seem that a day goes by without me seeing something that has to do with her.
Pictures. Posters. Someone’s always talking about her.
She’ll always have a place in my heart, without a doubt.
Sometimes you have to let things go, but her last race (when Zenyatta suffered her only defeat, losing the Breeders’ Cup Classic by a head at Churchill Downs) is a hard one.
It will always bother me.
I’d love to ride her colt some day.
I hope I’m around and healthy, and if they want me, I’m here.
I’d absolutely be beside myself if I got that opportunity.
Kentucky Derby, Zenyatta, Mike SmithMike Smith
