Props to Calhoun
Let's give credit where credit's due. Bret Calhoun is kicking some major butt at Sam Houston this season, having won with 21 of 49 starters through the most recent day of racing (which was five nights ago, on Saturday), giving him a stellar win clip of 42.9 percent.
I mention this because a major media outlet wrote glowingly today of Michael Stidham's "meet-best winning percentage of 30 percent," with nary a mention of leading trainer Calhoun's incredible run.
Not only is Calhoun leading the standings, by wins AND earnings AND percentage, but he has totally "opened a can," as the youngsters would say, on his competition. On top of being a very good trainer, right now he simply has far superior stock to his opposition. He is already leading the standings by seven wins over Scott Blasi, who has 14. Tied for third at 13 wins are John Locke and Danny Pish, each of whom have had significantly more starters than Calhoun.
Winning as often as Bret is, and especially at such a high success rate, it is hard to believe that his accomplishments were completely overlooked. I mean, hitting at 40 percent is a rare feat even in a 10-race sample. To do it over seven weeks and still be riding that high after almost 50 races, that is freakin' amazing!
I won't link to the article I speak of since, having done several stints as a print journalist myself, I know how easy it is to slip up or miss something obvious. But I have seen so many errors in horseracing coverage since moving to Houston that I feel a need to at least help set the record straight.
The Calhoun snub was actually not the worst oversight this season. That would have to be the preview that profiled Steve Asmussen in its "Trainers to Watch This Season" section without any mention of the widely reported six-month suspension that has prevented him from actually starting any horses at the meet thus far. Meanwhile, the same section failed to include Blasi, who at that point had been officially training the Asmussen string for about four months and was a sure thing to be a major force at Sam Houston.
I mention this because a major media outlet wrote glowingly today of Michael Stidham's "meet-best winning percentage of 30 percent," with nary a mention of leading trainer Calhoun's incredible run.
Not only is Calhoun leading the standings, by wins AND earnings AND percentage, but he has totally "opened a can," as the youngsters would say, on his competition. On top of being a very good trainer, right now he simply has far superior stock to his opposition. He is already leading the standings by seven wins over Scott Blasi, who has 14. Tied for third at 13 wins are John Locke and Danny Pish, each of whom have had significantly more starters than Calhoun.
Winning as often as Bret is, and especially at such a high success rate, it is hard to believe that his accomplishments were completely overlooked. I mean, hitting at 40 percent is a rare feat even in a 10-race sample. To do it over seven weeks and still be riding that high after almost 50 races, that is freakin' amazing!
I won't link to the article I speak of since, having done several stints as a print journalist myself, I know how easy it is to slip up or miss something obvious. But I have seen so many errors in horseracing coverage since moving to Houston that I feel a need to at least help set the record straight.
The Calhoun snub was actually not the worst oversight this season. That would have to be the preview that profiled Steve Asmussen in its "Trainers to Watch This Season" section without any mention of the widely reported six-month suspension that has prevented him from actually starting any horses at the meet thus far. Meanwhile, the same section failed to include Blasi, who at that point had been officially training the Asmussen string for about four months and was a sure thing to be a major force at Sam Houston.
posted by Jimbo @ 1/04/2007 08:44:00 PM
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