Tis the season, so why beat around the bush? Our nomination for athlete of the year is the 17-year-old secretary-treasurer of the Kentucky conglomerate called Steve Cauthen Associates.
Not Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees, not Bill Walton of the Blazers, not Walter Payton of the Bears, not even Virginia Wade of Wimbledon, but Steve Cauthen of the race tracks, the Superkid who started the year as an apprentice jockey and who will end it as a millionaire and as the most remarkable performer in the cutthroat world of professional sports in 1977.
That’s right: A little child shall lead them. Not only that, but two related thoughts: 1. the thoroughbred Affirmed will be voted 2-year-old champion of the year. And 2. Cauthen will open 1978 on the valuable back of Affirmed and will have one sweet chance of riding him to victory in the next Kentucky Derby.
Going into this weekend he has ridden more than 1,900 horses this year with 454 wins, 319 seconds and 282 thirds. Total purse: $5.7M which is a million more than the record set last year by Angel Cordero Jr. The jockey takes 10% of the prize money. He also has a musical recording and an advance on a book plus assorted other revenues.
Twice this year he has ridden 6 winners in one day. 4 times he has had 5 winners. 13 times 4 winners and 41 times 3 winners.
Ex NYT 12/15/77
Showing posts with label horse racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horse racing. Show all posts
Thursday, December 15, 1977
Sunday, December 11, 1977
Cauthen Reaches $6 Million Mark
As the track announcer put it yesterday at Aqueduct near the finish of the sixth race, “That’s Steve Cauthen going for six million dollars.”
The 17-year-old jockey they used to call “The Kid” was about to become racing’s first Six Million Dollar Man.
Ex NYT 12/11/77
The 17-year-old jockey they used to call “The Kid” was about to become racing’s first Six Million Dollar Man.
Ex NYT 12/11/77
Wednesday, November 30, 1977
Inquiry Finds Fraud in Race-Horse Switch
New York racing investigators have established to their satisfaction that the horse that ran and won at Belmont last September as the long-shot “Lebon” was actually the Uruguayan champion Cinzano, and that Dr. Mark J. Gerard was the hidden owner of the horse.
The New York Racing Association called it “one of the most serious race-track frauds in recent history.” There was photographic evidence of an earlier switch of South American horses by Gerard as well.
Racing fans in Uruguay heard of “Lebon’s” surprise victory on Sept. 23rd and the tabloid Mundocolor asked the AP for a winner’s-circle photograph.
Julian Perez, the racing editor and others immediately recognized the horse in the photograph as Cinzano. They called The Jockey Club in New York and the investigation began.
Ex NYT Montgomery 11/30/77
The New York Racing Association called it “one of the most serious race-track frauds in recent history.” There was photographic evidence of an earlier switch of South American horses by Gerard as well.
Racing fans in Uruguay heard of “Lebon’s” surprise victory on Sept. 23rd and the tabloid Mundocolor asked the AP for a winner’s-circle photograph.
Julian Perez, the racing editor and others immediately recognized the horse in the photograph as Cinzano. They called The Jockey Club in New York and the investigation began.
Ex NYT Montgomery 11/30/77
Cauthen: 6 Winners For 3rd Time in Year
Just when Steve Cauthen’s most loyal fans were beginning to wonder when the 17-year-old jockey was going to end a slump that had extended through 22 straight races along came the boy wonder to quell their doubts with six winners in eight appearances on the card yesterday at Aqueduct.
The teenage jockey’s performance was even more significant in that only one of his winning mounts was the favorite.
He now has 460 winners this season – 418 in New York. He is the first jockey to reach the $5 million mark in one season.
Ex 11/30/77 M. Strauss
The teenage jockey’s performance was even more significant in that only one of his winning mounts was the favorite.
He now has 460 winners this season – 418 in New York. He is the first jockey to reach the $5 million mark in one season.
Ex 11/30/77 M. Strauss
Tuesday, November 22, 1977
Ringer Horse Is Traced to Saratoga
The mystery horse in the Belmont Park ringer case spent time at Saratoga last summer under an apparent alias, investigators have learned.
Less than a month before he won a race at Belmont under the false name of Lebon, the ringer was Denim at Saratoga.
Gerard imported Lebon and Cinzano, a much faster horse, from Uruguay last June. A third horse in the consignment, an Argentine-bred named Boots Cononero was also shipped to the farm in Muttontown LI. All three horses look alike: bay colts with no markings except an irregular star, a patch of white, on their foreheads.
On Sept 23rd, after having run dismally at odds of 7-1 on Sept 9, the horse represented as Lebon won easily at Belmont for a payoff of $116 for $2. Gerard has been identified as the bettor who collected about $77,000 in winnings on the long shot’s 57-1 victory. But the authorities have declared the “Lebon” was actually a ringer, and they suspect the mystery horse was really Cinzano.
Ex NYT Cady 11/22/77
Less than a month before he won a race at Belmont under the false name of Lebon, the ringer was Denim at Saratoga.
Gerard imported Lebon and Cinzano, a much faster horse, from Uruguay last June. A third horse in the consignment, an Argentine-bred named Boots Cononero was also shipped to the farm in Muttontown LI. All three horses look alike: bay colts with no markings except an irregular star, a patch of white, on their foreheads.
On Sept 23rd, after having run dismally at odds of 7-1 on Sept 9, the horse represented as Lebon won easily at Belmont for a payoff of $116 for $2. Gerard has been identified as the bettor who collected about $77,000 in winnings on the long shot’s 57-1 victory. But the authorities have declared the “Lebon” was actually a ringer, and they suspect the mystery horse was really Cinzano.
Ex NYT Cady 11/22/77
Wednesday, November 09, 1977
An Argentine Implicates Dr. Gerard
With an agonized mixture of loyalty and feelings of betrayal, an Argentine veterinarian acknowledged tonight that his friend and sometime employer, Dr. Mark Gerard of Muttontown LI, had once asked him to find a ‘cheap’ horse with markings similar to those of a good horse Gerard had already decided to buy.
He spoke of the Argentine horses Chirico and Sundoro which were acquired by him for Gerard for shipment to the United States. He said Dr. Gerard first decided to buy Chirico, a 5-year-old who had won three or four races here and earned about $18,000. He described the horse as a reddish bay without white markings.
While Chirico was waiting for a place on a cargo plane to the United States, the vet was surprised by a call from Dr. Gerard who told him that his wife wanted a saddle horse and asked him to find a cheap thoroughbred, specifying that it, too, be a bay without white markings.
“I was somewhat suspicious, because in quarter-horse races down here they sometimes switch animals, and the easiest ones to switch are those without markings,” he said. However, he said, he went about fulfilling the request and soon found Sundoro, a 6-year-old dark bay without markings who had won one race in an undistinguised career.
“I don’t know what happened with those horses in the States,” the vet went on. “But I’m very concerned that there may be a problem because I am concerned about the reputation of Argenine horses. This is the only way I can find for washing away my stupidness. I was used by Mike Gerard as a useful idiot.”
Ex NYT 11/9/77
He spoke of the Argentine horses Chirico and Sundoro which were acquired by him for Gerard for shipment to the United States. He said Dr. Gerard first decided to buy Chirico, a 5-year-old who had won three or four races here and earned about $18,000. He described the horse as a reddish bay without white markings.
While Chirico was waiting for a place on a cargo plane to the United States, the vet was surprised by a call from Dr. Gerard who told him that his wife wanted a saddle horse and asked him to find a cheap thoroughbred, specifying that it, too, be a bay without white markings.
“I was somewhat suspicious, because in quarter-horse races down here they sometimes switch animals, and the easiest ones to switch are those without markings,” he said. However, he said, he went about fulfilling the request and soon found Sundoro, a 6-year-old dark bay without markings who had won one race in an undistinguised career.
“I don’t know what happened with those horses in the States,” the vet went on. “But I’m very concerned that there may be a problem because I am concerned about the reputation of Argenine horses. This is the only way I can find for washing away my stupidness. I was used by Mike Gerard as a useful idiot.”
Ex NYT 11/9/77
Thursday, November 03, 1977
Investigators Fly to Uruguay For Clues to Racing Mystery
A five-man task force, armed with photographs and paternity-testing gear, flew to Uruguay last night in a attempt to unravel the bizarre horse racing affair that may come to be known as the Case of the Dead Ringer.
A top-flight Uruguyan horse named Cinzano, whom Gerard allegedly destroyed June 12 because it suffered a broken skull in an accident, is believed to have won a race at Belmont on September 23rd – racing under the name of Lebon, a mediocre animal.
Meanwhile, a London-based insurance company had paid Cinzano’s owner $150,000 on the ‘death’ of the horse.
The horse known as Lebon was so overlooked by bettors that it paid $116 for a $2 win bet. The board contends that Gerard was the single largest bettor on the horse, collecting about $77,000 after making several trips to the $50 window rather than placing one large bet at one time.
At most major tracks in the United States, American-bred horses may not compete unless their lips have a permanently tattooed identification number.
South American horses are not tattooed.
ex NYT 11/3/77
A top-flight Uruguyan horse named Cinzano, whom Gerard allegedly destroyed June 12 because it suffered a broken skull in an accident, is believed to have won a race at Belmont on September 23rd – racing under the name of Lebon, a mediocre animal.
Meanwhile, a London-based insurance company had paid Cinzano’s owner $150,000 on the ‘death’ of the horse.
The horse known as Lebon was so overlooked by bettors that it paid $116 for a $2 win bet. The board contends that Gerard was the single largest bettor on the horse, collecting about $77,000 after making several trips to the $50 window rather than placing one large bet at one time.
At most major tracks in the United States, American-bred horses may not compete unless their lips have a permanently tattooed identification number.
South American horses are not tattooed.
ex NYT 11/3/77
Friday, October 28, 1977
Court Stays Racing Suspension of Veterinarian in ‘Ringer’ Case
At Belmont a horse identified as Lebon was riden to victory on September 23rd. Investigators have found that the horse was not really Lebon, but most likely Cinzano, a much faster Uruguyan import who supposedly died at trainer/owner Mark Gerard’s in Muttontown NJ last June. Dr. Gerard is one of 20 veterinarians who maintain private practices at Belmont. He has several hundred horses under his care.
Lebon and Cinzano came to the US from Uruguay in a consignment of 17 horses. The two in the ringer case were taken to the Gerard two-acre farm. According to Gerard, Cinzano had to be destroyed soon after having arrived at the farm when he suffered a fractured skull. A $150,000 insurance policy was paid on the horse whose owner was listed as Joseph Taub.
The racing board suspended Gerard and Jack Morgan an assistant of Gerard’s, saying “Lebon wasn’t Lebon, there was heavy betting by one individual, and the answers given so far have not been satisfactory.” The 57-1 shot netted about $70,000 to the one gambler. He carried the money to his car in a brown paper bag under Pinkerton escort. The story was that the bettor was Gerard.
ex NYT Cady 10/28/77
Lebon and Cinzano came to the US from Uruguay in a consignment of 17 horses. The two in the ringer case were taken to the Gerard two-acre farm. According to Gerard, Cinzano had to be destroyed soon after having arrived at the farm when he suffered a fractured skull. A $150,000 insurance policy was paid on the horse whose owner was listed as Joseph Taub.
The racing board suspended Gerard and Jack Morgan an assistant of Gerard’s, saying “Lebon wasn’t Lebon, there was heavy betting by one individual, and the answers given so far have not been satisfactory.” The 57-1 shot netted about $70,000 to the one gambler. He carried the money to his car in a brown paper bag under Pinkerton escort. The story was that the bettor was Gerard.
ex NYT Cady 10/28/77
Sunday, September 11, 1977
Affirmed, $4.40, Beats Alydar by a Nose
Harbor View Farm’s Affirmed continued to show who’s boss in the dramatic rivalry he’s been waging with Calumet’s Alydar by capturing the $112,000 Futurity yesterday before 25,500 spectators at Belmont Park.
The victory, the third by Affirmed in four meetings was scored by a nose. And it was a winning effort that made another rematch between the colts seem all the more inviting.
In triumphing, Affirmed outlasted Alydar in a tense stretch duel in which both jockeys put their mounts under sustained pressure.
Even after the race was finished, Eddie Maple, who had the leg up on the runner-up, refused to concede that Affirmed was Alydar’s master. The winner was ridden by 17-year-old Steve Cauthen who continues to lead jockeys in the two week old Belmont meeting.
NYT Strauss 9/11/77
The victory, the third by Affirmed in four meetings was scored by a nose. And it was a winning effort that made another rematch between the colts seem all the more inviting.
In triumphing, Affirmed outlasted Alydar in a tense stretch duel in which both jockeys put their mounts under sustained pressure.
Even after the race was finished, Eddie Maple, who had the leg up on the runner-up, refused to concede that Affirmed was Alydar’s master. The winner was ridden by 17-year-old Steve Cauthen who continues to lead jockeys in the two week old Belmont meeting.
NYT Strauss 9/11/77
Sunday, June 12, 1977
Unbeaten Seattle Slew Takes Belmont for Triple Crown
Once upon a time, an ordinary looking horse was sold at public auction in Kentucky for the very ordinary price of $17,500.00. His owners named him Seattle Slew, dreamed of Triple Crown glory – and crossed their fingers. And yesterday the impossible dream came true when their horse became thoroughbred racing’s first undefeated Triple Crown champion.
At the finish of the one and one-half mile “test of the champion,” Seattle Slew was coasting along four lengths ahead of second place Run Dusty Run.
He was more than 5 seconds slower than Secretariat in that colt’s 31-length Belmont triumph in 1973. There were some questions too, about Slew’s late arrival in the paddock. His regular route was apparently blocked by cars, and he arrived 10 minutes late, forcing a delay of five minutes in the post time.
NYT Cady 6/12/77
At the finish of the one and one-half mile “test of the champion,” Seattle Slew was coasting along four lengths ahead of second place Run Dusty Run.
He was more than 5 seconds slower than Secretariat in that colt’s 31-length Belmont triumph in 1973. There were some questions too, about Slew’s late arrival in the paddock. His regular route was apparently blocked by cars, and he arrived 10 minutes late, forcing a delay of five minutes in the post time.
NYT Cady 6/12/77
Sunday, May 15, 1977
12 Jockeys and Trainers Indicted For Fixing Races at Garden State
Twelve jockeys and trainers were indicted yesterday on charges of widespread race fixing at GSP in Cherry Hill NJ. The indictments were a result of an investigation that began in 193 and led to one indictment involving five defendants and four prison terms for race fixing at Atlantic City race track in Feb 1976.
State Attorney General William F Hyland said that Anthony Ciulla of Stoneham MA now serving a four-to-six year sentence for the Atlantic City race-fixing conviction was the state’s chief witness in the current charges. He has been moved from a state prison to a secret location for his own protection. His family is also in protective custody.
He noted that Mr. Ciulla faced an additional five years in prison in Rhode Island on a similar conviction there.
John Kevin Daly of Cornwells Heights PA and Ralph Baker of Barrington NJ, among the twelve indicted received probationary terms for race fixing last year at Pocono Downs in PA.
NYT 5/15/77
State Attorney General William F Hyland said that Anthony Ciulla of Stoneham MA now serving a four-to-six year sentence for the Atlantic City race-fixing conviction was the state’s chief witness in the current charges. He has been moved from a state prison to a secret location for his own protection. His family is also in protective custody.
He noted that Mr. Ciulla faced an additional five years in prison in Rhode Island on a similar conviction there.
John Kevin Daly of Cornwells Heights PA and Ralph Baker of Barrington NJ, among the twelve indicted received probationary terms for race fixing last year at Pocono Downs in PA.
NYT 5/15/77
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