Let me wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I can understand the frustration that racing fans in India are going through. There is a lot of blame to go around but we would be better served if we focus our attention on what needs to be done in the weeks ahead. Valuable time has been lost and based on what I have read and heard every effort is being made to salvage what is left of a truncated winter season. I do not have the competence to offer an opinion or two. There are many knowledgeable and well-meaning individuals who have written on the subject and I have carefully read what they had to say.

To a racing fan, no action means torture. I want you to keep in mind that the health of the horse population must be ensured to have a viable racing campaign. The word ‘relapse’ readily comes to mind. The Equine Influenza has caused a situation for which the Indian racing authority was not prepared. The fact, however, remains that there has been a learning experience. I have every reason to believe that Indian racing will emerge stronger and better from this ordeal.

I had to dig deep to find enough to say in this piece. Let me begin with jockey Rafael Bejarano. He completed a sweep of riding titles at tracks in southern California. The 26 year-old Peru native, ended the Hollywood Park meeting as the leading rider with 52 wins. Bejarano, polite and amiable, won titles at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, Hollywood Park’s spring-summer season, the Del Mar meeting and the autumn campaigns at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park. The last jockey to do what Bejarano has done was Pat Valenzuela in 2003. The incomparable Chris McCarron accomplished the feat in 1983.

Rafael Bejarano ranks second nationally. He has won 260 races from 1.258 mounts. Ramon Dominguez is a runaway winner with 306 wins from 1,298 rides. Garrett Gomez has 205 wins.

In the money department, Gomez has a mark of $23,239,419. Bejarano’s mounts have earned $16,047,432. Jockey Dominguez stands at $14, 677, 710.

Jockey Bejarano’s first winner in America came at River Downs, a Cincinnati track, on July 10, 2002. John Bobby was the winning horse.

Bejarano, before leaving on a vacation, had this to say, “I just think I am going to have a big meet (before every meet) and always try to do my best. My agent (Joe Ferrer) and I work hard every day and the trainers give me the opportunities. I thank God that I have been blessed.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen saddled the 600th winner in 2008. Asmussen-trained Storm Trust came through in the fifth race at Delta Downs (twilight program) last Thursday. Earlier in the day, trainer Asmussen sent out three winners at Fair Grounds. At the end of December 21, 2008, Asmussen had won 607 winners from 2,939 runners. That gave him a remarkable 21.9% strike rate. The purse money in 2008 that Asmussen has won is $27,365,297. Curlin has been the biggest contributor to Asmussen’s cause.

Scott Lake is a distant second in the training division. He has 415 winners from 2,909 starters.

Asmussen reflected. “It was a timing thing and everything came together in one year. There are going to be cutbacks the way the racing economy is going. I get up every day and work with what I’ve got.”

Last Saturday, Hollywood Park hosted the last graded race for freshmen. Pioneerof The Nile, the 7-5 choice, justified the favoritism. The race was the Grade I Cash Call Futurity over 1700 metres on the cushion track. Pioneerof The Nile, Garrett Gomez up, beat I Want Revenge in a photo. The time was 1 41.95 seconds. Pioneerof The Nile is by Empire Maker out of Star of Goshen, a Lord At War mare.

Six Futurity winners have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby. Therefore, the race has considerable significance for Derby aspirants. Bob Baffert, the winning trainer, was thrilled. “It has been so long. Point Given did it in 2000. To me, the Derby starts with this race. You can start thinking about it and getting excited.”

Jockey Gomez has had a ‘dream year’ and said, “my horse really dug in. If we had gone around again, I don’t think the other horse (I Want Revenge) was going to get by.”

The Hollywood Park season ended on Sunday. The Grade II (turf) Dahlia Handicap, for distaffers, was the feature. It was a 1700-metre race. Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Je, the 4-5 favorite, Vacare made no mistake. Vacare gave Trainer Christophe Clement his 1,000th winner. The Dahlia was Vacare’s last career run.

Jockey Valdivia praised Vacare. “I knew she would be there for me when I called on her. I’m going to miss her a lot but, at least, she goes out a winner.”

Santa Anita opens on Friday, December 26. Seven horses will answer the starter’s call in the Grade I Malibu Stakes over 1400 metres on the pro-ride surface. Colonel John, the Travers hero at Saratoga, may carry the public purse. Eoin Harty, Colonel John’s trainer, has been showing optimism in his pronouncements.

There is a break in New York action. Racing resumes this week at Aqueduct. Hawthorne, in Chicago, races until the first week in January.  Harness racing, in my experience in America, takes a three-week break. However, all tracks and off track parlors will be open for simulcasting from whatever tracks that will be operating.

The New York Racing Association will implement the ban on anabolic steroids beginning January 1, 2009. Exceptions for therapeutic use will be permitted. There is one stringent condition. Any administering of permissible steroids will have to be done 30 days before a given race. Kentucky and Maryland have adopted the rule earlier in 2008.

Do you remember jockey Chris Munce? The Australian native was found guilty of ‘tips for bets’in Hong Kong and served a jail sentence. Much to the chagrin of the Hong Kong authorities, New South Wales gave jockey Munce a licence. Last Saturday at Randwick, Munce rode Something Anything to a photo finish win in the Villiers Stakes. Blocked in the lane, Munce showed tremendous alacrity to race through a needle-eye opening and win on the line. Munce had earlier won on Angel’s Breath.

A delighted Munce said, “this is unbelievable. To win a race back at headquarters, then to back it up with the Villiers-what a thrill! I am just so grateful to the connections for putting me on.”

The word ‘headquarters’ is used in England to refer to Newmarket. Now, I know that ‘headquarters’ in Australia refers to Randwick. Thanks to jockey Munce. I do not know what ‘headquarters’ means in America. Can anyone tell what ‘headquarters’ is in India?

In France, there was a notable passing. The legendary Maurice Zilber is no more. Zilber was 88. In 1976, he saddled Empery to victory in the Epsom Derby. Lester Piggott rode. In 1975, Zilber’s filly, No Billary had taken the runner up berth. The brilliant Dahlia, the dual King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, was trained by Maurice Zilber.

Several towns in America are paralyzed by snow. My daughter and son in law are coming from Seattle. The Pacific Norhwest is not used to snow. This year has been an exception. Seattle is buried under several inches of snow. I am hoping they make it to Chicago. My departure on December 31 for my trip to India-I am keeping my fingers crossed. The forecast until early January is bleak. Hundreds of flights have been and are being cancelled in Chicago.

Sources:Racing Post, NTRA and TV reports