Jamie Osborne has been writing a daily diary in the Racing Post as his colt TOAST OF NEW YORK attempts to win the G1 Belmont Derby on Saturday. It's worth a read. Belmont-bound with hopes of a naming fluke SHEIKH MOHAMMED pulled off the greatest feat of naming in modern racing history in 1998 when coming up with Dubai Millennium for his Seeking The Gold colt who went on to win the 2000 Dubai World Cup. It is clear that much thought, planning, and skill went into that decision. Sadly, neither Michael Buckley nor I can claim the same level of foresight. When, 12 months ago, the form we filled in landed on the desk in the naming department at Weatherbys, only a certifiable over-optimistic lunatic could have envisaged that a year later Toast Of New York could be about to pull off one the greatest naming flukes of all time by winning the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in New York. Toast, as he is now affectionately known to us all here, and the 17,000 Twitter followers who have been on the receiving end of my obsessive bombardment for the last six months or so, is now thankfully safely ensconced at Belmont Park. The horse who at one stage appeared more likely to go no further than Market Rasen in later life will now attempt to add the winning share of $1.25 million to the $1.2m he won in the UAE Derby. Having been detached from him since last Friday, today I fly to New York to oversee his final couple of days' preparation. Not that I envisage there being too many difficult decisions to make. As expected, my able deputy Jimmy McCarthy has everything firmly under control. Jamie Spencer will arrive on Friday, by which time I'm sure Michael and I will have analysed the opposition to death. Jamie will also ride Side Glance for Andrew Balding at Monmouth on Sunday. There is a small chance Toast will stay on in the US to run in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park, but as things stand he is far more likely to come home. Michael is keen to target the Dubai World Cup. My able team at home are well briefed in this week's domestic plans. The two-year-olds worked this morning, the monthly invoices were posted and the children were shown where the tin opener lives. I am looking forward to keeping you informed this week of developments building up to what is arguably the most important race of my 14-year training career. While in the departure lounge at Heathrow this afternoon I'll write about the logistics of getting the horse there and everything else about this adventure.
Entry 2 Quarantine no problem as rest better than work THE process involved in transporting Toast across the Atlantic at first appears quite complex. But it's made simpler thanks to the expert shipping agent Luck Greayer, which is headed by Nick Luck's brother James. Surprisingly, there's no freight service that will carry horses directly to New York from the UK. As a consequence, last Friday at noon Toast and Jimmy [McCarthy, assistant trainer/work-rider] loaded on to an LRT lorry, with their first stop at Kingsclere to collect Side Glance. From there it was a road trip, via Eurotunnel, to Liege in Belgium. Nine hours later, after a brief leg stretch, both horses stepped on to a pallet that would then be lifted into the hold of a TNT Boeing 777 freighter plane along with a couple of Jaguars - that's the car, not the cat - and other assorted extras. To the uninitiated it all sounds rather frightening, but the procedure has stood the test of time over many years and is all done under the expert guidance of Brian Taylor, son of Snow Knight's 1974 Derby-winning jockey of the same name. As we'd hoped, Toast was his normal laid-back self. He munched his hay, drank plenty and had a nap en route before landing six hours and four minutes later at JFK. With the pallet lifted off, Toast said goodbye to Side Glance, who runs at Monmouth Park on Sunday, and walked straight up the ramp of an articulated horse transporter. Around 15 minutes later he was in the quarantine station at Belmont Park racecourse. After a two-hour wait his feed arrived, having cleared customs, and he was fed and relaxed in his new surroundings. Quarantine regulations meant he couldn't be ridden on the track until Monday morning. This wasn't a problem, however, as a good rest for 48 hours is more beneficial than any amount of work. Weight loss, or lack of it, is a great gauge as to how well a horse has taken the travelling. On the journey to Dubai he lost eight kilos, which took him a day and a half to recover. Sadly, we can only guess at the impact this time as Jimmy has been unable to locate a set of weigh scales in Belmont. Seemingly, US trainers don't see the benefit of knowing how much their horses weigh. Having observed the different work policies of trainers in the week leading up to the Dubai World Cup meeting this year, it's clear there are no hard and fast rules. We decided not to gallop Toast during that week, he merely cantered sedately for a mile on the track. We'll engage the same approach this time and are hoping to be allowed to do it on the grass this morning. If not, the dirt will have to suffice.
Nice one Princess Hopefully he can do the business and swell the Michael Buckley coffers. He can then buy a couple of nice juvenile hurdlers to send to Mr. Henderson
Sounds like it doesn't it? Lovely story (even though some on here might sniff at American Group 1 races).
Entry 3 Foolish not to use Lasix on this side of Atlantic IT HAS been said that training racehorses is akin to attempting to control the uncontrollable. There are an infinite number of factors that can influence a result and so many of them are beyond our control, including the weather. Hurricane Arthur is working his way up the eastern seaboard from Florida and creating storms with raindrops said to be the size of big apples. Obviously I'm no expert on how quickly the Belmont turf will dry out, but if the forecast rain arrives the ground could be slow. It seems the law of sod will play a hand in determining our fate. Toast looks magnificent. He cantered on the outside of the grass track at breakfast time. To the untrained eye all looks fine, but to those of us who watch him daily and observe fanatically his every move, it's clear that soft ground is not his surface of choice. I'm now a weather-obsessed Englishman in New York, praying for the rain to cease. We will, however, be running whatever conditions are thrown at us. In all likelihood if the ground gets soft and the race were at home we'd probably abort and wait for a suitable target on better ground. On the plus side, we're delighted with the inside draw because he's quick away from the gate. Of the 11 runners, only one [Gailo Chop] is not on Lasix. It's irrelevant whether I agree or disagree about running horses on medication because in this jurisdiction it's allowed. It's a performance-enhancing drug and if our opposition is going to have their performance enhanced and we're not, then I'm pretty silly. It doesn't necessarily mean I agree with it, I'm just trying to win this race. As expected, there's plenty of media interest here in Toast. Interestingly, most experts see his lack of a recent run as a negative, but I regard it as a positive. They also seem to think I've all the answers, and I had to point out to one of them I'm a trainer not a clairvoyant. I am, however, willing to accept any outside assistance. Team Toast has been looking for any signs from the gods that could help us. So far so good. We're all staying on floor eight of the Mark Hotel; and what's more Katie and I are in room 808. Yesterday, we drove under a bridge as a train crossed above us. That's always lucky. Unless the bridge collapses. We'll continue to eat a huge amount of toast, but the search for a brace of magpies in Manhattan is proving tricky. The last time I was here I wasn't too lucky, finishing unplaced on Young Pokey in the 1992 Breeders' Cup Chase. That feels like a million years ago.
Interesting opinion on the lasix usage...Lady Macbeth job! Jamie mentions (slurps and gushes more like,canvassing perhaps!) about Sheikh Mo's great foresight in the naming of Dubai Millennium. Wasn't the original nomenclature of the horse changed by Godolphin to suit the time after he had showed ability?
That's right Dexter, he was originally called Yazzar (not 100% on the spelling). Apparently at evening stables one day in 1998 Sheikh Mo asked Saeed which of the two year olds was showing most promise, Saeed told him Yazzar and the Sheikh decided to change his name with the aim of running him in the World Cup in 2000.
Entry 4 Waiting nearly over and feeling powerless again HURRICANE ARTHUR did materialise and sadly dumped rain of biblical proportions on New York. Those in the know assure me the Belmont turf needs only half a day of sunshine to dry out significantly. Good ground or faster is apparently still possible. This seems extraordinary considering the recent weather. Today the waiting will be over. Two minutes of action this afternoon will decide just how good a plan this was after all. As is usual in this situation, my confidence diminishes as the race approaches. A week before the UAE Derby in March I really thought Toast could win. A day before I was telling myself to be happy if he finished in the first six. An hour before I was wondering why we had even brought him to Dubai. Today will be no different. As a jockey I enjoyed the big days and was unfazed by other people's expectations. Yes there was pressure, but there was an outlet for it. I relished the feeling that my tactical decisions could influence the result, and the surge of adrenaline the race created was actually quite addictive. As a trainer the feeling is completely different. Each decision, each piece of work, each plan carries with it a pressure that is drip fed over time. Come raceday I am powerless. I can no longer influence the result, my input is over. Two minutes of Jamie Spencer's decisions will determine how well I have done my job over the past few months. Today questions will be answered. Was the UAE Derby just a fluke? Has he improved as much as we think? Is he good enough to win a Grade 1? Deep down I really believe he has the capabilities, but this will not be a stroll in Central Park. Adelaide is clearly a very good horse and likely to be suited to a return to ten furlongs and a left-handed track. I see him as the most likely chief rival. Our form is tied in with Bobby's Kitten through Giovanni Boldini and the literal interpretation of it has us beating that horse. Gailo Chop, the only Lasix-free runner, is on the upgrade, and a slower surface would give Pornichet a strong chance to reproduce his French Classic form. As always the priority is to get through today safely. If the result we are looking for doesn't materialise it isn't necessarily the end. There will be other big races to target with him, more adventures and more twists in the story of our beloved Toast. I feel lucky to be a part of this horse's life. Sharing the experience with owner Michael Buckley is a true pleasure. Sometimes a horse becomes more than a horse in our affections. Fate has entrusted him to us and he innocently trusts us to take care of him, something we are privileged to be able to do.
Toast finished 6th in today's race. All credit to the team for being brave enough to take on the challenge.
Ran way below form as did most of the field maybe just not as good on turf. Also Princess can you just briefly explain lasix please?
Lasix is a blood-thinner, it is given as an anti-bleeding medication in the USA. The problem with Lasix is that it also acts as a diuretic so can theoretically be used to help speed up the elimination of traces of non-legal medications. There are also concerns that the diuretic effect can be detrimental to the horse's general health and wellbeing, causing them to dehydrate too quickly following a race. The USA is the only major racing jurisdiction where its use is permitted.
Do you know what the prize money was for 6th? hopefully it would have still contributed enough to the cost of the exercise to reward the bravery.
6th place would have netted them £18,000 according to the Racing Post breakdown. Probably not enough to cover all flights, hotels etc but enough to lessen the sting.
Such a shame Spencer was onboard it would probably have done better, honestly despair with this guy, even for the little guys he just can't bring himself to try his utmost best, disgrace to the game
I think it's harsh to say JS does not try his best. I cannot comment on this race as I have not seen it but in general I agree and do despair also with Jamie Spencer. The despair part arises because no one can say Jamie Spencer is not a good jockey or horseman, if we could we could just say he is rubbish, then that's that. He is actually a more than capable jockey however, better than most. His problem is his over confidence in himself and his horse, and lack of tactical awareness. If Jamie Spencer had an earpiece and had someone like Ryan Moore, or even Adam Kirby in his ear telling him where to place his horse he would have many more winners and certainly less people on his back with regard his losers. He can get a horse settled, he can keep him balanced and he is strong enough in a finish, he just lacks the where and when aspect, where should he be and when should he move. I hope Osien Murphy does no go the same way as he will very soon be considered for top jobs with top trainers, and in my mind Jamie Spencer, who was almost as good, simply moved up in his own head to the top table before he had properly learned his trade. I hope Osien remembers that he still has a long way to go despite picking up a few winners.
Final Entry He looked poised to grab the result we so wanted SATURDAY once again proved that the emotional rollercoaster our beloved sport creates isn't for the fainthearted. In the few seconds from the home turn to the line, Toast provided us with extremes from both ends of the elation-to-gutted scale. He loomed up to make his challenge off the final bend, looking poised to grab the result we so wanted, only to flatten out very quickly and dribble over the line in sixth, beaten five and a quarter lengths. It's clear he underperformed. Sometimes we don't immediately have all the answers, but we'll certainly be looking for them. He'll fly home tomorrow, we'll dust ourselves down and formulate another plan. I'm still in favour of a crack at Del Mar's Pacific Classic, worth a million dollars, over ten furlongs on Polytrack on August 24. When the horses are running well we might hit a 20 per cent winning strike-rate, but it should really be called an 80 per cent disappointment rate. Like it or not, disappointment is something a trainer has to continually deal with. And not only personal disappointment but disappointment of others also. Dealing with the weight of responsibility for the expectation of each horse's owner is every trainer's everyday battle. Michael [Buckley] and I have been playing this game for long enough to be philosophical about days like Saturday, but they're always bitter pills to swallow. If that pill slipped down easily then winning could be less important, less meaningful and, eventually, lose its lustre. Nobody will survive the test of time in racing unless the thirst for winning is unquenchable, and right now I'm very thirsty. This morning Katie and I fly back into Heathrow. I'll be getting a full debrief from the trusty team at home who sent out a double in my absence on Saturday and the show will roll on to Windsor tonight when we introduce Ian Barratt's Toast Of Newbury. Clearly he has a sense of humour. We have High On Life and Field Of Dream to prepare for Newmarket's July meeting this week and some nice two-year-olds to look forward to. I hope very much you have enjoyed the Toast slices. I have enjoyed writing them. It's been said I was setting myself up for a fall. Well fall we did, but it's still been fun.
