Happy New Year to you all!
This will be my final piece before I leave for India on Wednesday. I will begin with stakes action in America. On Sunday at Santa Anita in California, the Grade II $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap was run. Daytona, a sophomore, won in the hands of jockey Mike Smith. Daytona, trained by Dan Hendricks, was winning three races in a row. After winning the Grade II Oak Tree Derby and the Grade I Hollywood Derby, races restricted to three year-olds, Daytona took on older horses in the San Gabriel.

Daytona won by three parts of a length from Proudinsky who rallied late. Six ran over the 1800-metre race on the grass and the winner’s time was 1 47.57. Daytona returned $6.60. Daytona is by Indian Ridge out of Kyka, a Blushing John mare.

Daytona and Mike Smith made it all and had something in reserve as Proudinsky mounted a serious challenge in the final 200 metres. Smith, who won the Grade I La Brea Stakes with Dearest Trickski on Saturday, made special mention of Daytona’s speed. “When we got to the first turn, I just went on with him. When we made the lead, he threw his ears up and got into a rhythm. He has such high cruising speed. He is tough on the lead.”

Something funny, rare and something that needs to be addressed happened at Tramore Race Course in Ireland on Monday. Tramore is about 110 miles from Dublin. Multiplying 110 by 1,600 will give you the metric equation. There were 14 horses in the 4200-metre Newton Handicap Chase. It was a ‘jumps’ race. Tramore is a right-handed course. It is undulating and is 1600 metres in circumference. It is not an easy course to navigate. There is a descent to the turn and horses go uphill in the final 200 metres as they race toward the line.

Coming into the last turn, nine riders thought that the race was ending and rode out their mounts. Five jockeys, initially unaware that a mistake had been made, realized that there was another circuit to go and began goading their mounts after slowing down. The commentator called the finish. The placing judge was part of the comic drama. As the race went on with five horses, the judge posted the numbers. Among the five completing the three (needed) circuits, Mr Aussie, the 9-4 favourite, ridden by Andrew McNamara, came away victorious and survived a stewards’ inquiry. Five jockeys, according to the judges, had no case to answer for. The other ten, including one who completed all the circuits, were set aside for five days apiece. All the 14 riders were questioned by the stewards.

Paddy Power, the leading Irish bookmaking company, refunded all the bets on the race. This is a story for the ages. What can be done? Have a sign (big, bold letters) that there are so many rounds to go and make it so conspicuous that no rider can miss it as horses take the bend every time.  The incomparable Bill Shoemaker misjudged the winning post in the Kentucky Derby.  When watching ‘jumps’ races in Europe, I have often wondered, how jockeys keep track how long of a race is left at any given point.

Here is news from Japan, Vermilion, winner of the Japan Cup (Dirt) in November, won another glittering event on Saturday. It was the 1.2 million dollar Tokyo Daishotenat over 2000 metres. Yutaka Take was the jockey. The time was 2 03.2 seconds on a sloppy track. Vermilion is now heading to Dubai for the World Cup. In 2007, Vermilion ran fourth when Invasor won the Dubai World Cup.

Tom Knust, jockey Pat Valenzula’s agent, has told the Daily Racing Form, America’s biggest racing publication, that it is time for Valenzula to give up riding. “The chances of him riding are very slim. My suggestion is that he has to look at other career opportunities. He has got to live and pay bills. He has a family to support. He has a weight problem and is putting too much pressure on himself.”

Pat Valenzula is a great talent. The writing is on the wall. It is indeed a sad thing.

As of December 30, 2007, Jorge Ricardo had ridden 9,984 winners. America’s Russell Baze’s number was 9,954.

Damien Oliver won the Perth Cup for the first time in his riding career. Oliver, 35, began riding 35 years ago and has set all kinds of records in Australia. On Tuesday, Oliver steered the 14-10 favorite, Cats Fun to a neck decision over Exhilarating in the 354,000 (US) dollar race over 3200 metres.
 
There was a six-horse spill soon after the start. Oliver and Cats Fun were able to avoid trouble. In 1975, Ray Oliver, Damien's father, who won the Perth prize twice, died after a fall. Damien's brother suffered the same fate in 2002 after Damien had won the Melbourne Cup with Dermot Weld's Media Puzzle.
 
Oliver spoke about the irony. "I'm just so relieved he (Cats Fun) actually stood up. He went right over the top of one of the fallen horses. How he stayed up, I will never know and he wasn't entitled to."
 
Louis Wolfson who owned Affirmed, the Triple Crown champion in 1978 and horse of the year in 1978, died at his home in Bal Harbor Florida. He was 95 and was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. America has not had a Triple Crown winner since 1978. Secretariat did it in 1973 and Seattle Slew won all three in 1977.
 
 Laz Barrera trained Affirmed who was ridden by the 18 year-old Steve Cauthen. The Affirned-Alydar duels left an indelible mark on the racing world. In a 'down the stretch duel, Affirmed beat Alydar, Jorge Velasquez up, by the narrowest of margins.