Legends of the Track: Alydar - Death of A Racehorse. Or, Was It Murder? & Epic Finishes! Plus, 2024 Irish Grand National: Odds & Picks - Fairyhouse Showdown"
Monday Edition - April 1st, 2024 (Edition 43)
IN TODAY’S EMAIL
Horse of the Day: Alydar - Death of A Racehorse. Or, Was It Murder? (USA)
Classic Races: Wildest Horse Race Finishes! Top 8, Featuring Chautauqua, Mine That Bird, Pakistan Star & Zenyatta
Podcast of the Day: Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast 4/1/24--Weekend Recap
Race of the Day: 2024 Irish Grand National: the runners, the odds, the verdict for the big race at Fairyhouse (12pm EST)
HORSE OF THE DAY
Alydar (USA)
Alydar running neck and neck with his rival, Affirmed, at one of the 1978 Triple Crown races. In 1990, Alydar was euthanized at his home in Calumet Farm under suspicious circumstances surrounding the financial collapse of its owner.
Death of A Racehorse. Or, Was It Murder?
“I was not convinced it was an accident,” says Fred Kray, a retired animal lawyer. “As an attorney, I thought there were too many coincidences.”
After more than 3 decades, Fred Kray 's fascination with Alydar’s mysterious death in 1990 led him to release a book, ‘Broken’, and create an innovative website, www.FredMKray.com, where readers can render a verdict based on the evidence he presents.
A life-long animal lover, Kray's passion for racehorses goes back to his first job when he worked as a parimutuel clerk at a track. His interest in Alydar began in 1978 when he watched the 3-year-old thunder to the finish line at the Flamingo Stakes.
Foaled in 1975 on Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, Alydar was one of the leading thoroughbreds of the 20th century. He placed in 24 of his 26 career races, earning almost $1 million in purse money for his owners.
The chestnut stallion was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1989 and ranked #27 in the top 100 of U.S. thoroughbred champions by Blood-Horse Magazine.
On the track, Alydar was best known for his rivalry with Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner who beat him by 1½ lengths at the Kentucky Derby, then by a neck at the Preakness, and then by a head at Belmont.
The last chase in New York saw one of the most exciting runs in the sport’s history when the galloping beasts dueled side-by-side from the middle of the far turn until the finish line.
Read the full article at sportshistoryweekly.com
*The content and images featured in this article were originally produced and sourced from the sportshistoryweekly.com
Good Read
Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing’s Golden Age by Fred M. Kray (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 373 ratings
One fateful winter night, a famous racehorse mysteriously broke his leg while alone in his stall. An investigation ensued, but the real story has never been told…until now.
It was a cool, quiet evening at Calumet Farm, where the most valuable racehorses—including the prolific stallion Alydar—had settled into their stalls for the evening. Alton Stone, filling in for the regular night watchman, completed his rounds at the barn. Although nothing seemed out of the ordinary, an inexplicable hunch led Stone to check on Alydar. What he found—a grievously injured horse with no discernable cause—jump-started one of the biggest mysteries to ever hit the horse racing world.
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CLASSIC RACES
Wildest Horse Race Finishes! | Top 8, Featuring Chautauqua, Mine That Bird, Pakistan Star & Zenyatta
“and Zenyatta is dead last” - Trevor Denman
All horse racing lovers gravitate towards a racehorse that can produce a scintillating burst of speed from last-to-first in a matter of seconds. There's just something special about a horse who settles at the back of the field before charging home in the blink of an eye. Horses like Chautauqua and Zenyatta made names for themselves by producing barnstorming finishes. We've collected eight of the greatest fast-finishing horses over the journey.
PODCAST OF THE DAY
Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast 4/1/24-Weekend Recap
Jason looks back at a busy weekend of racing, focusing on the big Florida Derby day card from Gulfstream Park.
RACE OF THE DAY
2024 Irish Grand National: the runners, the odds, the verdict for the big race at Fairyhouse
The BoyleSports Irish Grand National (5.00) takes place at Fairyhouse on Monday and with 40-1, 50-1 and 150-1 priced winners in the last decade this is often a tricky puzzle for punters to solve. I Am Maximus triumphed for the all-conquering duo of Willie Mullins and Paul Townend 12 months ago and they combine with the favourite again this year in Nick Rockett, an unexposed novice who skipped the Cheltenham Festival to head here. Get our verdict and more in this runner-by-runner guide:
Irish Grand National verdict
By Alan Sweetman, Spotlight tipster
2. Intense Raffles
3. Where's Frankie
Not a huge field, but a fascinating race in which Good Time Jonny can exploit a mark that compares favourably with his hurdles rating. Last year's Pertemps Final winner should relish the trip and is just preferred to Intense Raffles, who relegated him to a remote last of three in a conditions event here in February. Four-time course winner Where's Frankie will stay the trip better than many of these and is one for each-way backers to consider. Obvious claims are held by Nick Rockett, Where It All Began, and Yeah Man the apparent Mullins, Elliott and Cromwell selected respectively.
2024 Irish Grand National: the full list of horses and jockeys
An unplaced favourite in Naas contest won by Hartur D'Arc, plenty to prove as a result
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Forecast odds: 16-1
Minella Cocooner17:00 Fairyhouse
Jky: Danny Mullins Tnr: W P Mullins
Smart staying type at his best, failure to complete on this term's two starts is a concern
Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney
Jockey: Michael O'Sullivan
Forecast odds: 25-1
Churchstonewarrior17:00 Fairyhouse
Jky: Michael O'Sullivan Tnr: Jonathan Sweeney
Only three runs over fences but has a strong chance for last year's winning combination
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Forecast odds: 7-2
Nick Rockett17:00 Fairyhouse
Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins
Read the full article at racingpost.com
Riders Up!
Best, Steve