by Nancy Jaffer | May 27, 2023
Is Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital the best place to provide treatment for Michael Barisone, found not guilty by reason of insanity in his 2022 trial on a charge of second-degree attempted murder?
The dressage trainer’s legal team contended in court yesterday that he can’t get the therapy he needs at the state facility, maintaining he should receive it on an outpatient basis from a private hospital.
The Morris County, N.J., Prosecutor’s office, meanwhile, maintains Greystone is the venue that minimizes risk to the patient and society as Barisone gets treatment.
Those viewpoints were expressed yesterday in a daylong Krol hearing before Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor, who heard testimony from a psychiatrist and psychologists as each side presented its case. In New Jersey, Krol hearings are held periodically to judge the progress of a criminal defendant who has been confined to a psychiatric institution following a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Barisone, the alternate for the 2008 U.S. Olympic dressage team, was tried on attempted murder and several other charges in connection with the shooting of Lauren Kanarek, a tenant on his Long Valley, N.J., farm. The two and Kanarek’s fiancee, Rob Goodwin, had a long-running dispute that erupted into gunfire on Aug. 7, 2019.
Kanarek, a rider who came to the farm to be trained by Barisone, took two bullets in the chest and was rushed to Morristown Medical Center’s intensive care unit after the incident, which Barisone says he doesn’t remember. Kanarek’s parents, Kirby and Jonathan Kanarek, were in the courtroom monitoring Friday’s proceedings.
Following the April 2022 verdict, Barisone was sent to the state’s Anne Klein Forensic Center in West Trenton before being transferred to Greystone in Parsippany, N.J., six months later.
Citing the voluminous amount of testimony presented during Friday’s court session in Morristown, Taylor reserved decision until Wednesday, when the next steps for Barisone will be determined as he meets with lawyers for both sides, Morris County Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn and Chris Deininger on behalf of Barisone. Meanwhile, the outcome of the last Krol hearing in September, which kept Barisone at Greystone, is being appealed.
Michael Barisone and attorney Chris Deininger. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Attorney Edward Bilinkas, representing Barisone, noted in court that individual treatment for his client at Greystone did not get under way until March 2023, even though the defendant entered the hospital in October 2022.
Initially, Barisone was in group sessions where patients listened to music and filled in coloring books, according to Bilinkas. Barisone filed 15 requests to get the treatment that would help him. After the threat of a lawsuit, individual treatment began.
Dr. Sarah Pachner, a Greystone psychologist, stated from the witness stand that there were “significant delays” at the hospital across the board because the department is “considerably short-staffed, we are down a number of positions in the department, making it difficult to keep up with demand.”
Bilinkas told the judge that in regard to Greystone, his client was “being punished here. It has nothing to do with recovery.”
Schellhorn, citing comments from Greystone’s treatment team that Barisone often went off on tangents bringing up the “index crime” of the shooting and trying to “relitigate the case” instead of focusing on efforts to heal his mental health issues, suggested another Krol hearing should be held in six months “to see how the therapy treatment is going.”
He said the Greystone doctors “testified their goal is not to keep Michael Barisone at Greystone Hospital any longer than it needs to, but he has to participate and cooperate, and he has to understand these things before they are going to be able to make a recommendation to the court that it would be appropriate for him to go out into the community safely.”
Schellhorn stated that based on the testimony from Greystone team members, Barisone has “overall a lack of insight with respect to what is necessary for him to cope.”
The defense psychologist, Dr. Charles Hasson, characterized Barisone as narcissistic, which he described as a personality disorder, stemming from feelings of inadequacy dating back to his childhood and “a lot of trauma.”
According to Hasson, Barisone felt he was defective. To fight that, “he worked hard,” and was driven to become a perfectionist, the psychologist continued.
Psychologist Dr. Charles Hasson testifies. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“It drove him to prove he was halfway decent.”
While feelings of shame occasionally surface and Barisone has struggled with depression, “he’s not a danger,” Hasson contended, taking issue with the type of the specific type of assessment tests used by the hospital.
“There’s a difference between mental illness and mental health,” he added, saying Barisone definitely needs therapy but could get it on an outpatient basis five days a week at a private treatment center if he lives with a friend in New Jersey. That dovetails with a previous recommendation by a defense psychiatrist.
Hasson advised that Greystone staff needs to listen to Barisone, but at the same time, “not react to the BS.”
Comments by Hasson and others who testified indicated there was frustration on the part of both therapists and Barisone. Hasson said narcissists can “turn off the therapist, make the therapist angry.”
Greystone psychiatrist Dr. Anthony Gotay said Barisone has “a sense of grandiosity and self-importance,” as well as a preoccupation with “success and power.”
Grandiose people think “rules don’t apply to them” and “they’re better than other people.”
He said Barisone also has obsessive/compulsive personality disorder, which is approached with therapy, rather than medication.
Psychiatrist Dr. Anthony Gotay. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The doctor expressed skepticism when he recounted how Barisone mentioned a movie may be made about him, and insisted he had hosted late night comedian Stephen Colbert’s show.
Bilinkas pointed out to the doctor in his cross-examination that Barisone, the subject of a 48 Hours documentary on CBS, had been approached about a book and a movie–“I’m not aware of that,” Gotay replied. Bilinkas also noted that Barisone had done a show with Colbert in which he gave the comedian a dressage lesson. Gotay said he had not seen it.
Gotay mentioned Barisone is smart, but “keeps getting in his own way.”
He said Barisone should continue individual and group therapy so Greystone can “ease restrictions and see how he does.” If it goes well “we can give him more freedom.” That could include outings and overnight visits.
“He needs the safety and structure of Greystone or a 24-hour hospital. He needs to be able to go into the community and come back and be reassessed.”
If you missed last month’s story about the settlement in the civil lawsuit involving Barisone, here is a link.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 21, 2023
People keep asking me about the tragic situation involving nine thoroughbreds who were euthanized at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, beginning during in late April up through May 20.
More hard questions at another venue came yesterday, when Havnameltdown was put down after incurring a non-operable left front fetlock injury during a race on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico in Maryland, where the second leg of the Triple Crown was being contested. Ironically, this is happening as racehorse deaths in the country are at their lowest level since tracking them began in 2009.
Lisa Lazarus, who the sport horse world remembers as general counsel and later chief of business development and strategy at the FEI (international equestrian federation), now serves as CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). She pointed out an important factor toward addressing the issue of horse deaths at racetracks is the fact that the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program resumes May 22 under the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU).
On May 12, Lisa issued an open letter explaining what HISA is doing about this heart-breaking situation. This is what she wrote:
“Our first priority is to support efforts to better understand, to the degree possible, the root causes of the deaths last week at Churchill Downs.
Here’s what you can expect from the team at HISA and our counterparts at the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) in the coming weeks:
The KHRC is leading an Equine Catastrophic Injury Review to investigate the circumstances of and potential contributing factors to each of the fatalities that occurred. The investigations are already under way, and involve, at a minimum, interviews with the horses’ connections and security personnel and review of the horses’ racing, training, veterinary and pre-race exam inspection records as well as video surveillance. This is in addition to the mandatory necropsies (the equine version of autopsies)that will be performed to further inform our collective understanding of the circumstances as outlined by HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program. All findings will be submitted to HISA upon the completion of the review.
HISA will conduct its own, independent investigation of each fatality to inform whether additional steps need to be taken. HISA’s investigation will include the following:
- A review of the records pertaining to each horse which died, including the necropsy report, Vets’ List history, past performances, exercise history, treatment records, pre-race inspection, and video records;
- A review of Churchill Downs equine fatality rates from the recent period, the same period the year prior, and the most recently concluded year; as well as training fatality data;
- A review of racetrack maintenance records, surface measurements, and testing data;
- Interviews with the Regulatory Vet, Attending Vet, track management officials, and other relevant third parties.
HISA’s findings, including the determination of whether any rule violations occurred to refer for potential enforcement proceedings, will be made public following the investigation’s conclusion.
The findings associated with these investigations will also be recorded and aggregated along with other industry-wide data for in-depth analysis to eventually establish a baseline for determining with greater clarity factors that may contribute to risk of injury.
While these changes take time and do little to address the immediate and pressing concerns we share as an industry, we have operational safety rules in place that by most accounts are making a difference. And soon, we’ll take another critical step toward an improved, more modern sport when the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program (ADMC) resumes on May 22 under the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit.
For the first time in the storied history of Thoroughbred racing, there will be one set of uniform, consistent rules across all racing jurisdictions. Under the ADMC Program there will also be greater efficiency for all participants and real consequences for those who seek to break the rules for their own benefit and to the detriment of the horses under their care. The rules also create a rational, fair system for adjudicating penalties and taking into account environmental and other accidental contamination.
There is no doubt that the combination of the Racetrack Safety Program and the ADMC Program will make our sport safer for the horses entrusted to our care.
As we move forward from this collective low, I hope it is together, united with a renewed commitment to what matters most: the safety of our horses and our riders. We owe it to them to get this right. And we owe it to them to do it now.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 14, 2023
The home team scored an important victory in California Sunday afternoon, as the squad won the first Longines FEI Nations Cup of the USA ever held on the West Coast. It comes after a triumph in the Mexican leg of the Cup last month, and puts the U.S. in the lead for the overall North and Central American/Caribbean Nations Cup League, with one leg of the series to go in Canada next month.
“This is a crucial step for us to qualify for the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona,” said an elated coach Robert Ridland. Winning the league would give the U.S. a spot in the Nations Cup final in Barcelona this fall, and a chance to compete there for a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“To do it in your home Nations Cup and for the first time ever on the West Coast is a very special feeling,” noted Robert, whose wife, Hillary, runs Blenheim Equisports which hosted the competition at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano.
McLain Ward was the only double-clear in the entire competition, handling Leopoldo Palacios’ demanding course with the effervescent Contagious, who was totally on his game. The U.S. had a five-point lead over Mexico after the first round. The home team ended the California class with 12 penalties over two rounds, to 17 for Ireland, 33 for Mexico and 42 for Canada.
In the overall League series, the U.S. has 200 points, Mexico 170 and Canada 150. Ireland, which already has qualified for Paris, is not part of the North American League (obviously).
McLain Ward and Contagious.
“We definitely said ahead of time we were bringing our A team. It was an amazing performance. All four riders on our Tokyo Olympic team were part of those Nations Cups,” said Robert, referring to both Mexico and California.
McLain observed,”I thought Leopoldo set a very challenging track. When I walked it, I have to say I was a tiny bit surprised at how big it was.But it’s a five-star Nations Cup. There are huge consequences to this qualification, and that’s the way it should be.”
Laura Kraut, like several of the riders in the competition, was aboard a horse making a first appearance in a Nations Cup on the Oaks International Grand Prix field. In the initial round, the 10-year-old Dorado toppled the plank that was the first part of the troublesome vertical/oxer double, but he learned from his mistake and his determined rider, enabling him to go fault-free in the second round, which was run over the same course.
“In the first round, he definitely was impressed,” Laura said of her mount.
Laura Kraut and Dorado. (McCool Photography)
“I agree with McLain that the course was much more difficult than I was expecting, and it caught me off guard.” Dorado, she conceded, “was a little bit shy from the first round, and he could have gotten smaller for the second round, or he could have grown. He grew and rode around beautifully, like he’d been doing it a long time.
The younger members of the team, Lillie Keenan (Argan de Beliard) and Karl Cook (Kalinka van’t Zorgvliet) each had four faults in the first round. Lillie’s came at the water in the first round and then at the plank in the second round. Karl’s four faults in the first round were at the oxer that followed the plank in the combination and at the plank in the second round.
The U.S. team of Karl Cook, Laura Kraut, Lillie Keenan and McLain Ward with Coach Robert Ridland. (Photo courtesy USEF)
The tight 76-second time allowed caught six riders. Michael Blake, the Irish chef d’equpe, noted that several more competitors might have jumped clear if they had two more seconds “but there wasn’t two more seconds.”
And at the point in the course where riders would have “liked to take a breather,” he noted, they were faced with the Longines fence, the biggest on the course, which he estimated at a bit more than 1.60 meters high.
The Irish had three clear jumping trips in the second round. Conor Swail on Cup newcomer Nadal Hero & DB, Andrew Bourns and Seatop Blue and David Blake with Claude all left the rails in place, though David had one time penalty. If he had been on time, it would have cut the U.S. margin of victory from five penalties to four, but wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
As Michael Blake said of the U.S. contingent, “They would have looked the favorite on the books” for those appraising the odds.
Kent Farrington, who was on the team in Mexico, will be back for the Canadian leg of the Cup with Lillie and Karl, as well as other younger riders, Lacey Gilbertson and Brian Moggre.
“We’re going to win,” Robert promised.
“We’re not going there to just survive so we can qualify for Barcelona. It’s really important after the year we had last year (when the U.S. did not qualify for Barcelona), that we put winning back in the equation.”
With this series, he commented, “Now we’ve won it twice; we want to win all of them.”
It wasn’t just the victory that impressed, it was everything around it, the stands crowded with exuberant spectators.
“What was so unbelievable about today,” Robert explained, “is any time you’re at your home Nations Cup, there’s added importance and excitement and energy. Those wins are always more significant.
“The fans here were absolutely amazing.”
He said it’s important “to bring in the entire country and not just the East Coast, but in a big way. feeling the energy today in California is something I’ll never forget.
“We have a very strong country in a whole lot of ways, but we have to use the whole country.”
Karl agreed.
“Growing up in California, the sport’s in a different location. Everyone talks about going East or going to Europe, and that’s what you hear the whole time you’re growing up. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just that it would be great if the sport was also in California.
“So, it’s great to be able to show 45 minutes from home, and it’s great to have people who are local that I’ve grown up with to be here to see sport like this. I know it helps inspire the next generation. It’s just really important for the West Coast.”
While California hosted Olympic trials in 2004 at the same venue, Robert noted that was restricted to American contenders.
“This was an international event,” like the Cups that also took place in Madrid and Great Britain’s Royal Windsor this weekend.
“This was the most significant international jumping event on the West Coast since the 1984 LA Olympics,” he declared.
“This is part of the lead-up for five years from now, when the Games are back in LA. This was a huge thing for our country and the West Coast. to have those riders step up to the plate.
“They did exactly what we expected them to do. We took the `A’ team and split it in half, Kent, McLain, Laura and Jessie (Springsteen),” who were on the Tokyo silver medal Olympic team.
“These riders have just been amazing, everyone here this week and the ones in Mexico,” said Robert.
“They all jumped on board in December when I said, `Call to arms.,'” and explained the importance of qualifying for Barcelona.
“There wasn’t one single rider who said, `I have something more important to do.'”
And now?
“Our entire team is enjoying the moment,” he told me.
.Click here for full results
by Nancy Jaffer | May 8, 2023
Great Britain’s Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo led wire-to-wire to win the Badminton Horse Trials by a mile, with a mere 1.6 time penalties added as they proceeded around a show jumping course that cost rails for all but four of the 30 competitors on the final day of the 5-star event.
The 2018 world champion, Ros could not be denied aboard last year’s runner-up, despite the sticky ground that foiled many on cross-country.
“He’s an out-and-out event horse and it’s a privilege to have him in your life,” said Ros, the fifth person in history to have won both Badminton and the individual world championship.
“He has character in every pore and makes us laugh every day,” she said of the horse they call Walter around the barn.
Ros Canter on her way to victory with Lordships Graffalo before a crowd that came out despite very British weather.
“I think I was at my calmest when I entered the arena, but it’s been a long day. He jumped a bit with his head in the air, but he wanted to clear the fences.”
She also wound up ninth with her winning mount’s half-sister, Pencos Crown Jewel, who had two rails and 0.4 time penalties in the final segment.
“It’s a long old journey to get something like this; two in the top 10 is a dream,” said Ros.
Austin O’Connor, who had dreamed of becoming the first Irishman to win Badminton since 1965, toppled two rails and accumulated 1.6 time penalties with Colorado Blue (51.9). That dropped him from second to third, behind 2021 Land Rover Kentucky winner Ballaghmor Class and Oliver Townend, who made the runner-up slot even with a rail and 0.4 time penalties. His total of 50.3 penalties was 15 behind the winner’s final score of 35.3.
“He’s unreal,” said Oliver of his horse.
“He’s had too many second places – blame the jockey – but it’s a huge relief that he’s had yet another good result.”
Making the best of things, Austin said, “Naturally I’m a bit disappointed, but to be on the podium with two heroes – two of the best riders in the world – is pretty amazing. The result is personally great for me, but I hope it will give Irish eventing a lift.”
It should. This was the first time in 40 years that an Irish rider has been on the podium at Badminton.
The first double clear on the challenging course came from Britain’s Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift, quickly followed by British Olympic individual silver medalist and team gold medalist Tom McEwen with Toldeo de Kerser, his mount of a decade. The Toms were the only two entries to achieve that double-clear distinction, ending up fifth and fourth respectively.
U.S. riders finished very respectably. Lillian Heard Wood had a show jumping rail with LCC Barnaby to finish on 91.5 penalties in twentieth place, a big step up from being sixtieth after dressage. Katherine and Monbeg Senna wound up with just 0.4 time penalties in the show jumping to end twenty third, after coming in twenty seventh in dressage and moving up a place after cross-country. She was among those four riders to achieve leaving all the rails in place in show jumping, quite a distinction.
In case you’re wondering why show jumping was on the Monday, the schedule had to be rearranged due to the coronation of King Charles III on the Saturday, which is usually cross-country day. To read about cross-country, look at the second story on the front of the website, or click on this link
On a sad note, WSF Carthago owned by Frank Breach and ridden by Fiona Kashel, had to be euthanized. Tied for 36th after dressage, he was eliminated on cross-country. The horse was treated in the veterinary clinic at Badminton and subsequently hospitalized. The extent of the injury found in surgery meant successful repair was not possible.
For complete results, click this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 7, 2023
This weekend’s Badminton Horse Trials in England is the world’s second 5-star-rated event in a row, but it has no shortage of entries–or spectators. In fact, Sunday’s cross-country was sold out. Even the Duke of Beaufort’s estate has room for only so many people.
Historic Badminton House.
Cross country on Sunday? Yes, since the coronation of King Charles III was thoughtlessly scheduled for Badminton’s usual cross-country Saturday, the event adjusted its timetable to move that segment. The event ends on Monday, May 8.
The leader after dressage, British rider Ros Canter,has an even wider edge after cross-country with Lordships Graffalo, who was second at Badminton last year. Kitty King, second in dressage on Vendredi Biats (22.3 penalties), was eliminated on cross-country.
No one made the optimum time cross-country, where the track was muddy after rain that had disturbed many preparations for Badminton. But Ros’ excellent clocking of 11.8 time penalties was outshone only by Irish rider Austin O’Connor’s 10.8 with Colorado Blue. However, he came up from a 34th-place tie in dressage to stand second overall with a total of 42.7 penalties.
The total for Ros, the 2018 individual world champion, is 33.7 penalties. That means she could topple two fences for a total of an extra eight penalties and still win.
“We all love Walter, and he had to dig deeper today than ever before, but I think he had a nice day out,” said Ros.
She cited the benefit of going out on the course prior to her effort with Walter. The only rider to get two horses around, she learned from that trip with Pencos Crown Jewel, who stands seventh.
Ros Canter triumphant in dressage on Lordships Graffalo (and that’s this pairing on cross-country in the featured image above) (Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials)
If Austin manages a victory, he would be the first Irish rider to take the trophy since Eddie Boylan did it in 1965.
Third place with 2021 Land Rover Kentucky winner Ballaghmor Class is Oliver Townend of Great Britain, moving up from sixth in dressage, now with a total of 45.9 penalties.
The 2022 Maryland 5-star winner, Tim Price of New Zealand, stands fourth with Vitali (51.1). In fifth place is Britain’s Tom McEwen, who impressed us at Land Rover Kentucky last weekend with his runner-up performance on JL Dublin. At Badminton, he has the ride on Toledo de Kerser (54.4).
“After watching the morning action, I just wanted a nice round,” Tom. said after his ride.
“I’ve messed up here too many times before with the best horse in the world. He tried really hard and was foot- perfect jumping, but the ground is now horrific, seriously tacky and holding.”
U.S. rider Lillian Heard Wood is 24th on LCC Barnaby with 87.5 penalties, moving up from 60th in dressage.
“He was awesome,” Lillian said of her mount.
“So smooth. I went pretty slow, but I so wanted to finish, I just said, OK, do it how you want.”
Her compatriot, Katherine Coleman (Monbeg Senna), moved up one place from dressage to 26th with a total of 93.8 in her second Badminton..
There are 30 left to contest the final phase Monday if all pass the horse inspection. Eleven horses were retired on cross-country, and 17 were eliminated, while six where withdrawn after dressage.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 4, 2023
It may seem as if there has always been a Kentucky Derby, but of course, everything has to start somewhere.
For the Derby, that was 1875, and its debut is the focal point of a book being published this month by Eclipse Press, “The First Kentucky Derby: Thirteen Black Jockeys, One Shady Owner and the Little Red Horse That Wasn’t Supposed to Win.”
It’s a long title that requires an even longer explanation, but let me set the stage and explain why you might be interested.
The first Saturday in May (except for the Covid year in 2020 and 1945 due to World War II) is renowned not only as a celebration of fleet thoroughbred three-year-olds at Churchill Downs, but also as a festival of outrageous and elaborate hats, as well as mint juleps. It’s a great excuse for a Derby party, no matter how far away you live from Louisvlle, Ky.
The race is the country’s longest continuously running sporting event. It actually was held in 1945 (June) and 2020 (September), just not on the first Saturday in May during those years. And in case you’re not paying attention, the first Saturday is this weekend.
People who know nothing about racing and don’t think about the thoroughbreds for the rest of the year often make it a point to watch the venerated feature, even if they aren’t betting on it. Or maybe they’re just placing a casual wager with friends.
So author Mark Shrager had a good idea when he decided to delve into the first Derby and its first winner Aristides, for his book. Except the project didn’t turn out the way he originally envisioned it.
As he did his research, he was intrigued to discover that 13 of the 15 jockeys in the first Derby were Black. In the 1870s, some of the Black jockeys were born into slavery. They had, according to Shrager, “dominated the sport so thoroughly and so long” that it wasn’t a surprise they were the majority in that first Derby. But today, he noted, it is rare to see a Black jockey. And he wondered why, deciding to broaden his focus in the volume he was researching.
The short answer about the disappearance of Black jockeys involves a number of situations, among them white jockeys’ resentment about the Black jockeys’ success, as well as a changing attitude toward race riding as an opportunity for whites (rather than a profession being unfit for white men), the prejudice of racehorse owners, who were mostly white, and the Jim Crow laws that limited the right of African-Americans post-Civil War.
Even though Black jockeys and trainers were commonplace on the scene in the 19th Century, there is little recorded in the way of their thoughts and observations about the races they won. The media in those days tended to focus strictly on white practitioners of the sport. So the author couldn’t get any insight on their views about Aristides, ridden by Black jockey Oliver Lewis and conditioned by Ansel Williamson, also Black. Their thoughts would have been illuminating, considering the outcome of the race.
Asteroid, a son of the great Lexington, with jockey Edward Brown (also known as Brown Dick, who started life as a slave) and trainer Ansel Williamson.
Aristides, you see, was supposed to play second-fiddle to his stablemate, Chesapeake. But when the latter failed to fire, Lewis made the decision to ignore the instructions he had been given before the post parade and go for it, putting the diminutive Aristides in the history books.
Churchill Downs and its distinctive twin spires.
No Black jockeys rode in the Derby between 1921 and 2000. The last Black man to win the Derby was Jimmy Winkfield in 1902. The last Black man to ride in the Derby was Kendrick Carmouche in 2021. He also has the distinction of winning the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct in 2018, but other Black jockeys are a rarity in the U.S. sport today.
Winkfield spent time riding in Russia and training in Europe, where he was not the victim of prejudice and racial slurs as he was in the U.S. But his place in history was recognized in 2004, when he was posthumously inducted in the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, recognized for his more than 2,500 victories over the course of his career.
Shrager’s book offers much more history and a look at a wide cast of fascinating characters, beyond covering the rise and fall of Black jockeys as a staple of the U.S. racing scene.
He delves into the English origins of the Derby name, and goes into detail about the life of Aristides’ owner, H. Price McGrath. A character if there ever was one, this entrepreneur and gambler (who spent a year in prison for running crooked card games) was also a club owner who made plenty of money in his pursuits. He bought a farm in Lexington, Ky., not far from where the Kentucky Horse Park is located today.
Included in the book are many of the Black players who made racing what it was after the Derby was born. Sadly, such names as jockey Isaac Murphy, the rider/trainer team of William Walker and Ed Brown likely will be unfamiliar to most readers, though they no longer remain strangers after a perusal of this book.
You’ll also learn about the controversial and hot-tempered Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, the creator of the Kentucky Derby, which began as a mile-and-a-half race. That is now the length of the Belmont, the third leg of the Triple Crown, while the Derby is a mile and a quarter and the Preakness, the middle leg of the Triple Crown, is a mile and three-sixteenths. (Both races are older than the Derby, but unlike the Derby, they did not run every year of their history.)
This book is worth a read, if you like horse racing and history. And you’ll find there’s a lot more to the Derby than just picking the right horse.
