HANDICAPPING HEROES -- CHURCHILL DOWNS PICKS 5/26/18

The Handicappers are all at Churchill Downs today for their selections. They'll take on the late Pick 4 at Churchill Downs (Races 8-11) and offer some detailed thought and explanations on their picks. Be sure to catch the broadcast today at noon on WCHQ 100.9 FM. www.wchqfm.com to see what Archie and Scott have to say...plus Paulie's Picks as well.

Let's get into it.


RACE 8 -- MAIDEN CLAIMING $50000 -- 1 MILE (TURF) 


PAULIE

5 - MAKEAMERICAGREAT
9 - TRIPLE DOG DARE
6 - JAILHOUSE KITTEN
7 - FINISHED


SCOTT

5 - MAKEAMERICAGREAT
3 - SASSY KING
1 - ALMOREB
4 - HEADSAIL


ARCHIE

1 - ALMOREB
5 - MAKEAMERICAGREAT
6 - JAILHOUSE KITTEN
7 - FINISHED


RACE 9 -- ALLOWANCE $55000 -- 7 FURLONGS


PAULIE

8 - HONORABLE TREASURE
2 - GRAY SKY
3 - TAP MASTER
6 - HOME BASE


SCOTT

7 - BOLD PROPHET
8 - HONORABLE TREASURE
6 - HOME BASE
1 - SOUPER SMART

ARCHIE

3 - TAP MASTER
2 - GRAY SKY
7 - BOLD PROPHET
8 - HONORABLE TREASURE


RACE 10 -- WINNING COLORS (GRADE III) $100,000 -- 6 FURLONGS


PAULIE

2 - GOLDEN MISCHIEF
5 - MISS KENTUCKY
4 - TREBLE
3 - PINCH HIT


SCOTT

2 - GOLDEN MISCHIEF
5 - MISS KENTUCKY
3 - PINCH HIT
4 - TREBLE


ARCHIE

3 - PINCH HIT
5 - MISS KENTUCKY
4 - TREBLE
2 - GOLDEN MISCHIEF


RACE 11 -- MAIDEN $53,000 -- 1 1/16 MILES


PAULIE

3 - FIREBALL SHOT
10 - ELUSIVE HERO
1 - MERCERTOWN
9 - MO ZONE


SCOTT 

10 - ELUSIVE HERO
9 - MO ZONE
3 - FIREBALL SHOT
8 - MEISTERMIND


ARCHIE

3 - FIREBALL SHOT
10 - ELUSIVE HERO
9 - MO ZONE
12 - SHARKY'S LEDGER



HANDICAPPING HEROES TODAY!  NOON. DOWNLOAD THE WCHQ APP OR LISTEN LIVE ON RADIO 100.9 FM OR AT THE WEB SITE      WWW.WCHQFM.COM 


paulie
xxxxx

Successful weekend for Kordenbrock Racing

Those W.B. Smudge folks are at it again.

Matt Kordenbrock's Racing sent out two winners over the weekend at Churchill Downs. On Saturday, they saddled DISTORTED RANSOM in the 3rd race and the 4 yr.old claimer found the wire first in a seven furlong claiming $16,000 race under the steady hands of rider Brian Hernandez, Jr.

"We needed all of those seven furlongs" trainer Matt Kordenbrock joked after the win. Distorted Ransom unleashed a furious stretch drive to catch and pass DOCTOR LEE at the wire at odds of 8-1. It was Kordenbrock's first win of the meet at Churchill and a thrilling one to watch for owners Gary and Olivia Johnson...plus the assembled Kordenbrock friends and staff that assembled in the winner's circle to celebrate the victory.

Matt wasn't on hand to catch Sunday's win for the stable...having to take a horse to Cleveland for racing Monday at Thistledown Race Course. With Connie, his wife, and others associated with the barn and friends on hand, though...FANCY MAN sprinted to an early lead and then barely held off ARCH REVENGE by head to win Churchill's 7th Race...a claiming $10,000 affair. Up and coming rider Edgar Morales held the reigns for this win...Hernandez being committed to ride the third place finisher ARCHIE. It was a great ride by "the kid" who found enough to get Fancy Man to the wire first.

A recent claim for the Kordenbrock barn and owners Robert O' Hara and Gwynet  Gower...this horse had shown skills at Tampa Bay Downs in longer races in his last four attempts and the conditions proved to be the right fit yesterday. Barely. FANCY MAN is a 5 year old gelding who has nine wins and 16 "in the money" finishes in 30 attempts. He was a recent claim as well for Kordenbrock Racing back in late March after a fourth place finish at Tampa Bay

Connie called Matt right after the race and they rejoiced in the win. Also overheard was a humorous shout in the background:

"Matt...could you win something by 2 or 3 lengths next time? You're giving us heart attacks here!" 

The Kordenbrock stable also had an entry in Churchill's ninth race, SHARP ART, who got off to a slow start and couldn't make up enough ground in the stretch to hit the board. The 6 year old was claimed three races back out of the Tom Amoss barn but came up short in two allowance tries and may need softer company after not collecting the cash in Sunday's $50,000 claiming race.

A great weekend for Matt Kordenbrock Racing and I wouldn't discount their Monday entry at Thistledown...LEMON LOVER...in the fourth race today in Ohio. With a morning line at 6-1, this runners comes in from Belterra Park and Laurel Race Track, where he picked up a couple of second place efforts. Kordenbrock has assigned the ride to Luis Rivera, who has four wins in 18 rides at "Thistle".

Churchill has drawn pretty good crowds in the days after the Derby, but...in typical Churchill fashion...they've confused the populace and attendees with their new and (we hope temporary) parking schematics and plan they've come up with. They've closed the Longfield lot, which leaves patrons jammed in trying to park in the limited lot spaces off Central avenue.

And, in the jockey's parking area, they actually have over 20 Handicapping spots! Which were empty, virtually...on Saturday and Sunday. It boggles the mind, but...as one of the lot attendants lamely tried to explain to me...those are reserved for handicapped members of jockey families. These "attendants" have also been seen (and filmed) accepting bribes in the form of cash payouts from car drivers to obtain and access reserve parking that areas that are clearly marked "reserved" for people with track-issued permits to park there.

The hypocrisy and schemes continue at Churchill.  I felt very badly for the elderly lady I walked in with Sunday...she had a Handicapped placard in her vehicle, was denied admission to handicapped parking areas and was having a very hard time walking the quarter-mile from her spot to the general admission gate. In 90 degree heat. She would not give me her name, nor let me record her...for fear of retaliation. All she wanted was to spend a couple of hours with her great-grand-kids at "Family Adventure and Fun Day" over in the grandstands area. Too proud for wheelchair assistance and seemingly oblivious to the guys in golf carts speeding by.

In other Sunday racing at Churchill, it might be time for a change in strategy for New Direction Racing's VIOLENT STORM. Impressive in winning his third race of his career, a maiden $60,000 contest at Churchill last fall, the three-year-old gelding hasn't shown much since. On the turf yesterday in Churchill's 8th race, VIOLENT STORM was nowhere neat the top three in the Allowance $55,000 conditions. Even with superb turf rider Brian Hernandez, Jr aboard, the son of VIOLENCE appeared to be more of a tropical depression than a storm. It might be time for trainer Brendan Walsh to place this three-year old $75,000 purchase price gelding from the 2016 Keeneland September sale into the claiming or optional claiming ranks.


paulie
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HANDICAPPING HEROES -- RESULTS FROM 5-19-18 PMILICO AND CHURCHILL

The Handicappers divided forces yesterday and Scott took on the late Pick 4 at Churchill (Races 8-11), while Paulie and Archie opted to dissect the late Pick 4 at Pimlico, (Races 10-13) which included the Preakness. The braintrust had excellent racing luck at both tracks...doing what they do best, giving out winners, exactas, trifectas, Pick 3's and Pick 4's.

Let's look at the final munbers:

SCOTT took on the challenging Churchill card and ended up with three winners, two places and three shows in the four race sequence. He also added an exacta and trifecta to his totals. A strong day for smilin' Scott and he ended up with 21 points.

PAULIE played the Pimlico Pick 4 and knocked their socks off. He had 4 winners in the 4 race sequence, a second and two thirds. Give him and exacta and trifecta...plus both Pick 3's in the sequence and the Pick 4. Strong handicapping from the moderator of Handicapping Heroes and a final total of 31 points. 

ARCHIE also had the cashable numbers in the four-race Pimlico challenge. Four winners, two seconds, two exactas, a trifecta, both Pick 3's and the Pick 4. It came down to the final race, The Preakness, but Archie wins the contest for the day with a magnificent 34 points .  

We'll also give a "shout-out" to our buddy and trainer Matt Kordenbrook, who won the third race with 9-1 long-shot Distorted Ransom in a head-bobbing finish over Doctor Lee. Good racing luck and a fine ride by Brian Hernandez, Jr for the affable trainer who also has W.B.Smudge in his stable. A $20 payout on a $2 win ticket and Paulie made his day a profitable one early by "unbuckling" on the four-year old out of Regal Ransom and owned by the delightful Gary and Olivia Johnson. The winner's circle was a party after that one!

We gives you the horses each week that we think have the best chances. We can't control what they pay, obviously, but we give you picks that can turn into tickets that you can take to window and get paid on, instead of getting tossed on the table or floor. We've said it before and we'll say it again...we give you winners. For free.


CUMULATIVE TOTALS: 

PAULIE       135
ARCHIE      133
SCOTT        129

To hear yesterday's broadcast...go HERE

HANDICAPPING HEROES -- SELECTIONS FOR LATE PICK FOURS -- CHURCHILL AND PIMLICO

The Handicappers are dividing their skills today and offering the late Pick 4's at two tracks. Churchill and Pimlico. It is Preakness Day at Pimlico and the Louiville Handicap runs at Churchill, so there's plenty of great racing around.

SCOTT HARRIS is staying home at Churchill and has picks for Races 8-11 at Churchill. PAULIE and ARCHIE are taking on the Maryland Race course Pimlico and the late Pick Four is races 10-13 and does include the Preakness, Here's what they've got:


SCOTT'S CHURCHILL SELECTIONS


RACE 8 -- ALLOWANCE --  $55,000 -- 1 1/8th miles (TURF) 

7 - STAVE
10 - DRIFT AWAY
1 - HAYWORTH
3 - RAHWAY


RACE 9 -- OPTIONAL CLAIMING --  $80,000 -- 1 1/16 miles 

1 - THIRSTFORLIFE
6 - FORT FORTITUDE
2 - JESS I AM
7 - SENIOR INVESTMENT


RACE 10 -- THE LOUISVILLE HANDICAP  --  $100,000 -- 1 1/2 miles (TURF) 

1 - DESIGNED FOR WAR
8 - HARLAN STRONG
7 - SOME IN TIEME
6 - CARTOON


RACE 11 -- MAIDEN --  $17,000 -- 7 FURLONGS

7 - RED HOT RIO
4 - BLITSIG
1 - OPERATOR
9 - TIME FOR WAR


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PAULIE'S PIMLICO PICKS


RACE 10 -- THE MARYLAND SPRINT STAKES --  $150,000 -- 5 FURLONGS

5- SWITZERLAND
9 - LONG HAUL BAY
4 - LEWISFIELD
2 - HEARTWOOD


RACE 11 -- THE VERY ONE STAKES $100,000 -- 5 FURLONGS (TURF) 

7 - GIRLS KNOW BEST
1 - CHANTELINE
12 - JUST TALKIN
11 - SMILIN CAUSEWAY


RACE 12 -- SIR BARTON STAKES -- $100,000 -- 1 1/16TH MILES 

8 - AX MAN
2 - PONY UP
1 - FOREST FIRE
4 - THREES OVER DEUCES


RACE 13 -- THE PREAKNESS -- $1,500,000 --  1 3/16 MILES

7 - JUSTIFY -- (He's the one to catch and pass. Likes slop. Won the Derby. He's my top pick.)
5 - GOOD MAGIC  -- (Chased Justify last time. May get closer to him today but still second) 
2 - LONE SAILOR  -- (Was gaining at the end in Derby. Liked his narrow miss in LA Derby)
6 - TENFOLD --  (Asmussen skipped Derby for this one. Will contest pace. Can he pass?) 


**********************************************************************



ARCHIE'S PICKS FOR PREAKNESS AND PIMLICO


RACE 10 

9 - LONG HAUL BAY
4 - LEWISFIELD
5 - SWITZERLAND
3 - RED DRAGON TATOO



RACE 11 

12 - JUST TALKIN
7 - GIRLS KNOW BEST
11 - SMILING CAUSEWAY
1 - CHANTELINE


RACE 12 

8 - AX MAN
2 - PONY UP
6 - DREAM BABY DREAM
3 - CALIFORNIA NIGHT


RACE 13 -- THE PREAKNESS


7 -- JUSTIFY  (He looks to be 100% and ready to go. Bob Baffert wouldn't run if he wasn't)
5 - GOOD MAGIC  (Ortiz will be there ready to pounce if he gets a chance. Bettor beware.)
2 - LONE SAILOR  (Trainer Amoss switches to the other Ortiz brother. Not as much traffic)
8 - BRAVAZO  (Might be a good way to fill out Superfecta. Maybe third at best.)   



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DON'T FORGET THAT YOU CAN HEAR THE HANDICAPPER'S ANALYSIS FOR ALL THESE PICKS ON OUR RADIO SHOW HANDICAPPING HEROES AT NOON TODAY ON WCHQ 100.9 FM OR AT THE STATION'S WEBSITE OR MOBILE APP. 

LINK: 

WWW.WCHQFM.COM


Good luck today and may all your tickets be cashable!


paulie
xxxxx

HANDICAPPING HEROES -- Some early Preakness thoughts

It looks like Justify has been establish as the 1-2 favorite for the running of the Preakness on Saturday. I don't think he'll stay at those odds, he'll probably go off 2-5 or lower. It looks like the track conditions could be "off" based on the projections for weather at Pimlico.

We all know Justify can run in "the slop". We know that Good Magic, currently 3-1 odds can close in the slop. So, the question is this...is there a "longshot" that can win this race? Post positions really don't make that much of a difference in a eight-horse race, but, for what it's worth...#7 belongs to Justify and #5 to Good Magic.

I'll give you two horses...long shots... to watch. Not saying they'll win, but they just might hit the board. Anything can happen in a horse race, as we all know.

TENFOLD has a morning line of 20-1. he's trained by Steve Asmussen and Victor Espinoza receives the ride. Like Justify,  he didn't run as a two-year old. He also didn't run in the Kentucky Derby. He finished fifth in the Arkansas Derby. The barn reports he's gained weight and muscle since then and in Espinoza, he gets a three-time Preakness winner on his back. Asmussen is one of horse-racing's best trainers and the additional time off could be of benefit to the son of Curlin. It would take a huge effort from him to win the Black Eyed Susan bouquet, but, at 20-1 or higher, it might be worth a small investment to take a chance on a horse that is 2 for 3 lifetime and coming into his own. He'll get the #6 hole at the gate.  Will he be able to match the early speed or will he try to come off the pace? I'll probably include him in any "exotics" I play in the race.

LONE SAILOR draws my interest as well. He's a 15-1 shot and comes out of the highly-regarded Tom Amoss barn. His eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby did have him closing a bit, and one of the "kings" of New York racing, Irad Ortiz, gets the mount. He did have a second-place finish in the Louisiana Derby by a neck. He's the only other horse, besides Justify, to have a 100+ Brisnet Spped rating to his credit, so perhaps he'll challenge Justify early and either wear him out or maybe even hang on to go wire-to-wire. At 15-1, he's another that will figure in my "exotics"wagers and perhaps a small "across the board" bet also.

I've haven't mentioned QUIP here.He did winthe Tampa Bay Derby and his owners decided to forego the Kentucky Derby and wait for the Preakness. Buyer beware here, of course, but 12-1 and Florent Geroux on board could attract some. I'll remain on the sidelines on him except for including him on the bottom of trifectas and supers.

We'll be back Saturday with our Late Pick 4 selections for Preakness day.


paulie
xxxxx

HANDICAPPING HEROES - HOT JOCKEYS AT CHURCHILL -- BOX OFFICE WOES

THE HOT JOCKEY

One of the angles that a Handicapper uses is who the "Hot Jockeys" are riding in a race. By "Hot Jockeys" we mean those who have been winning or hitting the board well lately, not a reference to their temperature and weather conditions affecting them.

How does a particular jockey end up on a particular horse? There are several ways this can happen.

Jockeys have agents who work the backsides of tracks soliciting rides from trainers for their clients. A jockey himself might do the same for himself and they're not shy about asking for a return ride on a horse the next time out, also.

Trainers and owners may desire a particular rider that has ridden the horse before or for the barn and actively seek this rider to ride for them on their horse. Some stables and trainers have a "A" list...a jockey that normally gets "the call" for riding their mounts. Some have "B" lists as well, in case that barn has two horses running in a race or that "A" jockey is unavailable.

Some riders prefer certain tracks and may not be able to travel to another track due to riding commitments where they are or they just may not want to travel across the country to ride a race or two and then have to fly back to their home track. Sometimes, it can even evolve to "pickup" mounts...where a scheduled rider cannot get to a track to ride a specific race because of travel snafus or a recent injury or situation that prevents them from accepting the ride. Then, a trainer usually goes to the available "jockey colony" at a track and selects one that is available. A "pickup" as it were.

Races present obstacles to no matter who is on a horse, traffic problems, speed duels, slow paces, track conditions and the like. So, it seems, sometimes no matter who is on board...their success can change as the race unfolds.

As Churchill continues with the 2018 Spring Meet, who are the "hot" jockeys currently and how are they doing?

Two riders are having quite the successful meet so far:

BRIAN HERNANDEZ, JR has met with a great deal of success in his rides. He leads Churchill with 16 wins. When you consider he's ridden 60 horses, that's a 27% win ratio and that is tops for Churchill among regular riders. He's also finished "in the money" (second or third) 12 additional times, which gives him a 46% in the money ratio. You might want to pay attention to who he's aboard during your next visit to the facility on Central Ave. He's been a popular rider at Churchill for several years now and a likable fella as well!

COREY LANERIE has also met with success during the Spring Meet. He has 13 wins, second best in the Churchill jockey colony, in 73 attempts. That's a 17% win percentage. He's also had 14 "place" efforts and 12 "show" results, which is an impressive 55% in the money ratio. Lanerie has been a popular jockey beneath the Twin Spires for numerous years now and is another rider that you might be aware of when he's riding. Corey is a popular pick, from what I hear, in bettor "show" pools, where people bet on a horse to show, hope he wins, and then roll the money over to the next race.



The two jockeys  mentioned above are also the top two when it comes to "rides" in the Spring Meet. A couple of other riders, who haven't had as many mounts, aren't doing too badly, either. RICARDO SANTANA has participated in 53 races and has 8 wins...for a 15% win ratio. JULIAN LEPAROUX has piloted 39 horses so far this spring and also has 8 wins, for a 21% win number. Santana has a 35% in the money success rate and Leparoux checks in at a 46% in the money record.

A tip is making sure that the jockey listed to ride a horse in the program or racing form is actually on board. The track does a great job of informing you of any jockey changes and you should always checkout the "post parade" to make sure that the rider/horse combination is what the program says it is. Sometimes you'll see, in races that have "also eligible" horses listed...or multiple scratches in a contest...a change. Like where Lanerie, for example might be listed on two horse in a 13 horse field.
Always make sure of the rider.

The "hot jockey" angle has it's merits but cannot be depended on solely when handicapping a race. It is, though, an important tool when putting together multi-race tickets. Recently, I played a small, in terms of investment dollars, Pick 4 that included all four jockeys mentioned here in the race sequences and walked away after the sequences with over a $200 profit. So many other things that one must consider when handicapping a race make it a true study and thorough analysis. Each handicapper has a format that they try to follow. Adopt your own and see how it works for you. If it isn't successful, you can always change it up a bit.


COMPLAINTS ABOUT LINES

I did hear from several patrons about the incredibly long wait on Mother's Day to get tickets to enter the track. Accounts of standing in line at the Box Office window for 30 minutes or longer to purchase track admission tickets and the new "scanning" procedure at the gate aren't making patrons very happy at all.

There are ways to circumvent that. Purchase your tickets on line and print them out. You can avoid the Box Office that way. Go to MY CHURCHILL DOWNS ACCOUNT or TICKETMASTER to do this. The link below will get you there:

PURCHASE CHURCHILL DOWNS TICKETS

If you have a large group attending, you can also call group sales at 502.636.4450 and they'll gladly assist you with admission and even dining at the track.

I did receive a rather upset e-mail about the Box Office having only three windows open at the Longfield lot entrance and the lines being over 100 people deep. The e-mailer reminisced about the days when you could just walk up, hand the cashier a few bucks at the gate and get in the track.

I'm not sure why Churchill went to the scanning procedure and policy but will surmise that it has to
due with security concerns and a better tracking method of who's attending.

Let's face it, we live in a "nervous" society these days and the track is concerned about your safety while there. Is there a better way to do it? If you have a suggestion, give Churchill a call and explain it to them. They'll gladly listen to all ideas, complaints and recounts of your "Day At The Races". You can also go online to do this or use your Churchill Downs mobile app.

Sonja and I did attend Mother's Day at the track and did witness the long lines at the Box Office as we walked up to the admission gate. We, fortunately, had our passes in advance and the procedure to get in wasn't too complicated at all to go through the checkpoints.

Managing your tickets through your My Churchill Downs Account is convenient, simple, secure, and allows you the ultimate flexibility in using your seats. To log in to your My Churchill Downs Account via a desktop computer, use your account ID or an email address on your account. If you are logging in via a mobile device or app, you must use the primary email address on your account. If you do not know your password, click on “Forgot Your Password?” to have a temporary password emailed to you. If your temporary password does not work, your account may be locked due to inactivity. Once logged in, you may change your password through the edit my profile link on the home page. If you have any questions or issues, please contact your account representative, email to onlinetickets@kyderby.com, or call 502-636-4400 for customer service.


Have a great week!

Paulie
xxxxx

HANDICAPPING HEROES -- W.B. Smudge just wants to run.

You could call W.B. Smudge the "grand old man" of the backside at Churchill Downs.

Matt Kordenbrock

At nine years old, the gelding owned by Robert O'Hara and Gwyneth Gower and trained by Matt Kordenbrock has seen 62 races in his career. Seven tries at Churchill, where he's posted an incredible six of out seven in the money efforts and a couple of wins. W.B. tried retirement, it didn't suit him, so he's back on the track and finished an impressive second in a claiming race at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 12th. A race where he dueled with the leader the entire way, just backing down at the end by a head to a prohibitive favorite that was four years younger than him and carried one of Churchill's best jockeys in the saddle in Corey Lanerie. Not surrendering. A nice ride by "Jersey" Joe Rocco, who rode W.B and looks to ride here for the meet

When he hits the track for a morning workout, Matt tells of his very deliberate, purposeful nature and actions before he begins. W.B. Smudge likes to survey the situation around him, taking a good long look at all going on around him. Almost as if he's recalling the memories and races of the past,. Reflecting on the sights and sounds of the place he once again calls home for the spring and summer. Saying, maybe, "Hey, Look at me. This guy's here to do it and I've been doing it a lot longer than you pups."  The first lap is a stretch out effort for the sprinter...gotta get those veteran bones and joints loose before putting in a clocked 4 furlong workout. Never a hassle for the exercise rider.

Been there, done that.

And...he's always on the lookout for peppermints. 

He's a big fan of the sweet treats. Be prepared to provide if you go to your pocket and "Smudge" is anywhere near you. He'll come over and look at the pocket. Might even give you a slight reminder that it's time to produce a treat. Pay the man a little tribute kind of thing, you know.

After an allowance race at Oaklawn in April 2017, where W.B. finished second at 7-1 odds to highly-regarded RECOUNT , Matt and the owners wondered if he was ready to call it a day on his racing career. They sent him to pasture, but W.B Smudge was not happy about it at all

Matt talks about that:

"He was an entirely different horse, not being at the race track. His whole disposition changed. He wasn't happy. You could really see the difference. So, we decided at the start of 2018, why not put him back where he might want to be? The track. The change in his disposition was immediate and obvious. He wanted to be there. He was happy again. So, we'll run him as long as he's happy and healthy. It's what he wants and he's still capable of turning in a good 6 furlongs. We've dropped him down a bit to claiming company, we're not worried about losing him, after all, who claims a nine-year-old? We'll see how the rest of the spring and summer develops." 

A December 2017 workout at the Churchill Downs training facility showed an OK time for five furlongs. They worked him twice at Oaklawn and decided to enter Smudge in a $30,000 starter allowance contest. He ran evenly to get fifth. Another Oaklawn try got another fifth. As the Kordenbrook's (Matt's wife Connie is also heavily involved in the training proceedings and quite knowledgeable in racing) prepared to change venue and do their usual return to Churchill for the Spring Meet, Matt decided to get his gelding a run up at Indiana Downs in an optional claiming contest. He ran a solid second, so it looked like he was ready for a spring/summer campaign.

W.B Smudge has a home at the Kentucky Horse Park when he retires for good. They've asked for him. Matt isn't sure when that will happen. He's seen the difference. A trainer always looks out for a horse's best interest and health first. It's an owner concern and trust in a trainer's ability to recognize that as well. That includes mental health and disposition. Matt and the owners see eye-to-eye here.

"As long as he stays happy and healthy, we'll enter him in races." Matt surmises. "He wants to be out there and he always gives his best effort. I wish I had 10 just like him." 

W.B Smudge has earned over $570,000 for his owners and trainer over the nine years. Won the prestigious Senator Robert C. Byrd Memorial Stakes Race in 2017 over WILBO and seems to prefer the dirt over turf/grass races.

And, if you go to visit him, don't forget the peppermints. After all, a horse with his own Facebook page should get a little love and bling now and then, right?

The old, respected sprinter still has a few moves in him, it would seem. And the Kordenbrock legacy in racing appears to be in great hands as well. Matt and Connie's daughter has done work with TVG and is quite knowledgeable and well-versed in the sport. Their grandson carries a "play"whip with him and likes wearing a jockey's helmet whenever he gets a chance. He likes to watch racing on TV with Mom and emulate the riding styles of the jockeys. And, he's developed a riding style at four years old. Ask him, he's determined to ride for grandpa someday.

Just don't let him near your cooler with wheels as a riding venue. He has trouble in the stretch with those, based on a comical video the family took of him riding one and falling off when the pulling handle moved on him.

Hey, he got up from the spill, walked away, wanted more and didn't lose interest. That's dedication. Seems like they know a lot about dedication in the Kordenbrock family. Generation after generation.

(Some Photos courtesy of Coady Photography)


paulie
xxxxx