About the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance
We are a diverse group of horse racing professionals and fans blogging about
the sport we love. The group shares the following core beliefs:
Horse players and fans must give back to a sport that asks so little
from us. The TBA gives a year end group donation to Old Friends,
individual members use their ad revenue to give to charities closer to
home, and the TBA devotes a page to charity so that bloggers can
either grab those widgets to show on their own page or try and build
up a little "karma" before a big race day.
Horse racing is a sport; adoption of standings would maximize
enjoyment for horse racing fans as they do for other major sports.
These rankings would minimize the information hurdle by providing
context to many stakes races. The TBA standings are not perfect; they
are only hypothetical examples of how bare bones standings would
enhance the horse racing experience.
The TBA's focus is on the blog, but our blogs are supported by other
forms of traditional and non-traditional media, information. The
homepage doesn't ignore this by including pages devoted to Twitter, US
& International news, Videos from YouTube, and a past performance
search. We focus on TBA content, but believe a horse racing fan wants
access to everything.
Membership
TBA memebership eligibility is determined by:
The blog must have 2 months of regular
posting, be willing to carry the standings and links (both widgets provided),
and pledge to donate $50 to Old Friends in the name of our HOTY.
If you would like to be considered, email us at membership[at]
tbablogs.com. Finally, TBA members vote on eligible new blogs every-
other month.
Member Bios
Bob Ike Picks, by Bob Ike - Bob Ike has covered the Southern California racing circuit for over 20 years, where he has been the leading public handicapper at countless meets. Ike's graded handicap selections appear in the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and the San Diego Union-Tribune, as well as at his own website. Ike also co-hosts the Thoroughbred Los Angeles radio show (Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. Pacific at KLAA 830 AM) and serves as a handicapping host for the Del Mar satellite television show.
The Business of Racing by Steve Zorn - Steve Zorn is the managing partner of Castle Village farm, a thoroughbred racing partnership group based in New York. He's been going to the track since Tim Tam's Derby year, and has been invovled full-time in managing Castly Village Farm since 1999. Steve is also a member of the Board of Directors of the New York Thoroughbred Horseman's Association. Priot to his involvement w/ Castle Village Farm, he's been a journalist, labor union organizer, grovernmnet advisor in Papua New Guinea, United Nations technical advisor, Wall Street tax lawyer, and law school professor. In 2008 he was a regular contributor to the New York Times' racing blog, The Rail.
EquineProject by Barry Roos - Has been involved in horse racing since 1975. He has been involved in the industry as a trainer, bloodstock agent, owner, and more recently as the racing manager for the G-Biscuit Stable LLC partnership racing in Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, Florida, and Massachusetts. In addition, his company RooSites Web Development builds and manages websites for companies mainly in the horse world.
EquiSpace by Geno Residing in Buffalo , New York , my journey into the horse racing world started in 2004 in Saratoga where I was introduced to the sport first hand and fell in love with it. I have some friends in the industry and am the CPA for a stable based out of Western New York that brought me even closer to the game. I?e since been to the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes, the Breeders Cup, the Travers, the Haskell (love the hats) and have made trips to Woodbine, Pimlico and Gulfstream Park. I ?ummer in Saratoga , my favorite track, and am an annual attendee for Opening Day and Alabama weekend. My blog features a certain stable, the NYRA tracks and issues thereon, my annual track visits, weak attempts at handicapping the ?aces of the week and a little pop culture sprinkled in here and there for good measure.
Foolish Pleasure by Valerie - Growing up, I was a typical tomboy, horse-crazy to the extreme. Addicted to books, I daydreamed of being Alec Ramsey, racing The Black against Cyclone and Sun Raider, or Velvet Brown riding The Pie in the Grand National. Eventually, I grew up, the daydreaming stopped, and reality set in. Now I am in academia, a university professor teaching art history? job that I love. Horseracing, however, remains a passion. As you can probably tell, my first ?ream horse was 1975 Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure, most infamously associated with that doomed match race with Ruffian. Studying pedigrees and connections interests me, but I admit at times to playing horses based solely on ?ut reactions and silly names. Writing this blog is my mid-life crisis!
Gallop France by Gina Rarick - has been training racing thoroughbreds in Maisons-Laffitte, France, since 2002, alongside her work as a journalist at the International Herald Tribune. In March of 2008, she decided to leave her career in journalism to devote herself to training full time. Raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, she began her career in journalism in Milwaukee before moving on to Chicago and then to Paris. As turf writer for the Herald Tribune, Rarick covered major race meetings around the world, including the Dubai World Cup, Royal Ascot, the Breeders Cup and the Prix de l?rc de Triomphe. Her blog tracks her efforts to train a horse good enough to run at one of these meetings, and gives her a chance to comment on racing around the world.
Gogirl Racing by Jenny Ortuouste - It's all about horse racing and breeding in the Philippines! Visit here for photos, blog posts, and published magazine articles and newspaper columns in English and Filipino. I'm a racing writer, broadcaster, and industry executive since 1990.
Graded Stakes by Ryan - I am a student at the University of Cincinnati. I began writing Graded Stakes my sophomore year in high school after being bitten by the horse racing bug. I grew up hearing names like Skip Away and Cigar, but I never really knew who they were. As fate would have it, I would perform a Google search on Skip Away and would gradually became interested in the sport. Now 18, I spend many hours working on my blog, which tends mostly to handicapping, news, and information articles. I am hoping to find a career in the horse racing industry upon my completion of college.
Handride by Patrick P - I live in New Jersey and I'm a fixture at every Haskell, my father first took me to the track when I was 7. I'm proud to be an original member of the TBA as I think the sport is starting to change, and I'm glad I get to see that and be a part of it. My background is mostly Finance (yawn) and I started really enjoying horse racing in 2001 as a stress reliever for my job. Best horse I've ever seen from a physical standpoint was Sky Mesa, but the best performance I saw live might have been 2006 Invasor's BC win.
Hoof Blog by Hoofcare - My blog starts and ends where the horse meets the track: on its feet. I cover the world of the hoof, from shoes to lameness problems to diseases to networking for and with the great people who help horses with hoof problems. I publish Hoofcare & Lameness Journal (www.hoofcare.com) but my blog is a friendlier and faster way to get news out and interact with the horse world. I'm also a racing fan and freelance writer so I head to Saratoga each August, where I host Tuesday night lectures and get-togethers at The
Parting Glass. See you there!
Celebrating the Horse by Maryjean Wall - I retired in June 2008 following a long career as turf writer for the Lexington (Kentucky) Herald-Leader. Starting up my own blog was a way to continue with my passion for horse racing and all horse sports. I have witnessed every level of racing, from claimers at Latonia (presently Turfway Park) through the first quarter-century of the Breeders Cup championship days to the Dubai World Cup. I ?ollect visits to race tracks, with my count well over 60. I have worked as a hot walker, groom, pony rider, and assistant trainer; in my ?ther life I have trained, ridden and competed on my own and others dressage horses. I also love to watch hunters and jumpers and Arabian horses at their shows. The history of horse racing and the horses themselves are my twin passions in this sport. I like nothing better than to be at any race track, anywhere, in the mornings.
Mary Forney's Blog by Mary Forney - I started my blog because I wanted to share my passion for writing and for Thoroughbred horse racing. I try always to promote, in a positive light, the sport that I have loved for so many years. I have been involved in the business of Thoroughbred horse racing for more than 25 years. I worked for the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association for nine years, then Santa Anita Racetrack for 13. For the past five years, I have been with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, for which I am currently Director of Operations and editor of the quarterly magazine Owners' Circle. Most mornings I can be found at Clockers Corner watching the workouts and chatting with trainers, riders, owners, and fans. I enjoy blogging daily on "the buzz" in Thororoughbred racing -- the people, the horses, the history, and current events.
Monmouth Park Blog, Red Rock or Bust by Terry - Terry has followed thoroughbred racing in New Jersey and elsewhere for more than 20 years. Terry served as a stringer racing columnist for the Asbury Park Press in 2004 and 2005. In spot APP appearances making daily Monmouth Park race selections in the summer 0f 2005, his published win picks generated a 46% return on investment (ROI) over 60 races. In 2006, the inaugural season of MonmouthParkBlog, Terry's wagering suggestions generated an positive ROI of about 22%.
For his real job, Terry hold the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and works in financial services in New York City.
Power Cap by Greg C- Stricken with a terminal racing passion, with relative ease I digest massive amounts of racing information. To help release some of the pressure Power Cap will be an outlet where digested information is released for the world to enjoy and profit from. Introduced to Aqueduct at 12 years of age I never had a chance to be a mainstream sports fan. Wouldn't want it any other way.
Superfectablog by Superfecta - Despite frequent childhood trips to Fairmount Park to watch low-level claimers slog it out under the lights, Superfecta remained a life-long fan of horse racing. She braved wind, rain, sleet, hail, snow and the odd bit of sunshine at the 1989 Kentucky Derby only to watch her pick, Easy Goer, get run down by some California horse named Sunday Silence. Clearly miffed by her oversight, Sunday Silence cursed Superfecta and she didn't pick another Derby winner successfully until Smarty Jones, but the spell was only partially lifted as she had the superfecta and didn't bother betting it. She chose her blog's title to remind her of her folly. Superfecta is a massive geek (with the useless degrees to prove it) and keeps a photo of herself with Danzig on her desk at work. In addition to her interest in horse racing, she's an expert on Iron Age trade patterns in Northern Europe and is an appallingly mediocre tap dancer.
The Turk & Little Turk by the Turk - By day, I'm the Vice President of one of the largest green energy electrical generating companies in the United States. By nights and weekends, I'm a Horse Racing Fan and Handicapper. The bug first struck when I was in the Navy in 1986 and I lived in Saratoga Springs. My house on Jumel Place was a five minute walk from the track, and that summer was my horse racing awakening. I say awakening because it's in my blood: My mother saw Secretariat run and my beloved Aunt Rosie ran a horse betting book from her apartment when I was still at her knee. The Turk is married to Mrs. Turk, and we are the proud parents of a Korean adoptee known as the Little Turk. We take summer pilgrimages to Saratoga and we've made the horses a part of our families shared interest. In my early 40's, I don't take myself too seriously. I love the history of our sport, I work hard to improve my handicapping skill, but at the end of the day, I just like the horses. I am grateful for what I have in life and I appreciate the opportunity to write about one of my life's true passions.
They're In the Gate by Robert - My journey into racing began when Affirmed and Alydar battled each other in the Triple Crown races in 1978. I was 14 years old and hooked as a racing fan. I was living in New York City and was able to go to Belmont, The Big A, and also venture to New Jersey to watch racing at the Big M. I know live in Saratoga County, NY, a stone's throw from The best racetrack in America, The Saratoga Race Track. I have also been to Monmouth Park and Churchill Downs. I have been to the Kentucky Derby, The Breeders Cup , and of course mulitple Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes. I am not an expert, just a fan who loves the sport. My day job in insurance supports this love of racing. My blog is just a creative way to talk about this great sport.
Triple Dead Heat by Keith McCalmont - I currently contribute as a free-lance writer for Down The Stretch newspaper. My first horse racing article was a contest winner published in Woodbine's 50th Anniversary magazine. The story reflected on my first great memories of Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto when I was just nine years old. I spent many Sundays of that 1984 meet in the grandstand with my Dad where Key To The Moon, with a rugged stretch run, became my favourite horse in winning the Queen's Plate. That year's meet reached pinnacle success when the legendary All Along won the Rothman's International. I have been a racing fan ever since. When not nailed to the office chair at my day job, you can usually find me up on the third floor at Woodbine perusing past performances! Please feel free to contact me at keith.mccalmont@gmail.com