Notes on the Saturday Program
November 21st, 2008By Jude T. Feld
The popularity of tequila in the U.S. made the late Vernon O. Underwood a very wealthy and famous man.
Today, a little bit of history with my selections. Have a great Thanksgiving!
The Kennedy Road (G3), WOODBINE’s 6TH RACE, is named for Mrs. Arthur W. Stollery’s talented colt, who gave legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker one of his most satisfying victories – the 1973 Hollywood Gold Cup, when owner Mary Florsheim Jones gave him the boot on Cougar II in favor of, “a younger rider,†future Hall of Famer Laffit Pincay, Jr. Kennedy Road, who raced coupled with Bwamazon Farm’s Quack and Cougar II in an odds-on, three-horse, Charlie Whittingham-trained entry, would have probably been 30-1 on his own. The son of Victoria Park got up in the final strides to nip his stablemates in one of the biggest upsets in the race’s history. THE GREAT CARUSO will never be confused with Kennedy Road, but he has good early speed in a race lacking any pacesetters. He could take this field wire-to-wire if jockey Eurico Da Silva decides to send him to the lead from the start.
CHURCHILL DOWNS’ 8TH RACE, the Bet on Sunshine Stakes, is named for the Paul McGee trainee, who ran in the Phoenix Breeders’ Cup (G3) at Keeneland five times! The venerable old gelding won 22 races in 47 starts and amassed earnings of over $1.4 million in his illustrious career. He retired in 2002 at the age of 10. EUROEARS has only raced six times, but he has yet to miss the winners’ circle. The son of Langfuhr is a budding star and need only be fit off the bench to take home the chrome.
The Vernon O. Underwood (G3), HOLLYWOOD PARK’s 7TH RACE, is named for the former director of Hollywood Park, who was the man responsible for the introduction of Jose Cuervo tequila to the United States. At the time, most Americans were unfamiliar with the Mexican liquor. Underwood, who had become acquainted with the drink during his college years at the University of Arizona at Tucson, was sure that it could be a good seller in the United States and obtained U.S. distribution rights from Cuervo. When the “margarita†cocktail became popular, Underwood looked like a genius! NOBLE COURT seems best around one turn, comes off a nice allowance victory at Oak Tree and retains the services of hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. His 1:12.3 workout last Saturday insures he retains his sharpness and a big effort can be expected.
