Good morning!
Several years ago former Greenfield resident Doug Stotz introduced me to Bill Gutfarb, the connection being that he owns horses and I write about them.
Gutfarb invited me to lunch at Saratoga’s Turf Terrace with him and his wife Wendy, and afterward to watch their horse Analysis run in a $78,000 optional claimer. We left our linen napkins on the table and moseyed down to the paddock where trainer George Weaver had saddled the 5-year-old gelding and jockey Corey Lanerie had stepped in the irons.
At post time we made our bets and watched Analysis and ten other steeds be loaded into the starting gate. When the gate opened they all burst out except Analysis who reared up and did a Hi-Yo Silver. I either tossed my $30 ticket into the trash or simply let it flutter to the ground.
After two wins and $150,000 in earnings, Analysis switched careers and became a hunstman horse at a fox hunt club in Aiken, South Carolina, where the Gutfarbs reside. He manages Backstretch Seven Racing that includes six friends and himself, and in April he emailed me about a turf horse named Rhyton. An unraced 3-year-old, Rhyton is trained by Miguel Clement and owned in equal shares by Backstretch Seven, West Point Thoroughbreds and breeder Frederick Hertrich III.
Rhyton is a drinking goblet made of a hollowed-out animal horn, and Gutfarb could’ve used a drink waiting for their horse to make its first start. Five times he was scratched, three by weather, once after Miguel’s father the esteemed Christophe Clement died, and another time by the track veterinarians. “They said he was lame in the front and stiff behind which meant no breezing for two weeks,” said Gutfarb.
Earlier this month Gutfarb emailed me that Rhyton was entered in a $50,000 claiming race at Aqueduct. By now I’d lost interest and and was far from the nearest tote machine when the race went off at 2:13 p.m. on Nov. 14. Not long afterward he messaged that,“Rhyton won his race today! Not claimed.”
The win paid $11.16 on a $2 bet, and the owners’ share of the purse was $26,400. “I bet and won more on this race than I ever won on any race I ever bet in my life!” exclaimed Gutfarb.
Somewhat peeved I replied, “Wow! That’s great! I was in Chester and unable to make a wager. That’s why he won.”
“Good line,” responded Gutfarb.
As for waiting till the next time Ryhart races, the saying goes if you missed the wedding don’t go to the funeral.
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Eddie George will be in Amherst on Tuesday to coach the Bowling Green Falcons against UMass. George, who won the 1996 Heisman Trophy at Ohio State, was hired last spring after Scott Loeffler left to be the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach.
A first round pick and NFL Rookie of the Year with the Oilers, George played nine seasons before he left football for showbiz. Among his credits were playing the huckster lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago and appearing in two episodes of NCIS Los Angeles.
In true Deion style, George’s son Eriq transferred from Tennessee State to be a Falcons defensive end. He wears No. 5 and and at this writing had 24 tackles and three sacks in 11 games.
Tuesday’s game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Fans won’t have to sit around fire pits waiting for the gates to open like they did before the NIU game when the scene looked like a Civil War encampment.
BGSU is 3-8 and on a five game skid but beat Liberty, 23-13, and Toledo, 28-23. At this writing the line hadn’t been posted, but the Falcons are expected to be about a 14-point favorite. The Minutemen are 3-8 against the spread.
Uncharted territory
Tuesday’s 42-14 loss to Ohio University in front of 12,438 fans at Peden Stadium put UMass on the brink of an 0-12 season. It’s uncharted territory. Charlie Molnar couldn’t do it, nor could Walt Bell or Don Brown but they came close.
The season finale is fan appreciation night and the athletic department might announce free admission and give out pennants with slogans like Go UMass, Start the Streak and Win One for Joe.
That’s doubtful. The marketing department does as little as possible to get a paycheck. Don’t expect much more than a thanks for coming.
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Steve Corbett died on Oct. 30 at age 74. As noted in his obituary, Corbett was “one of the nation’s best and fastest offensive linemen” at Boston College. His former teammate and current BC radio analyst Pete Cronan told listeners that the day Corbett died he spoke to his teammate Dennis McLeary. “Steve called Dennis to let him know he was going to heaven,” said Cronan. “He died fifteen minutes later.”
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Kris Pelis read the review of Jane Leavy’s baseball book “Make me Commissioner” and wrote to say he applied for the job after Bud Selig retired. A longtime Dodgers fan, Pelis said he’d stop interleague play, ban the DH, only two teams would make the playoffs and the season would end by Columbus Day. “I received a rejection letter from the St. Louis Cardinals president who thanked me for applying,” said Pelis.
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SQUIBBERS: There’s a sea change between the pipes at UMass where Jackson Irving has a better save percentage than Michael Hrabal (.925 to .911). Irving made 48 saves in a pivotal 2-1 overtime win against the Friars on Thursday and it’s a tossup whether coach Greg Carvel starts Hrabal or sticks with the hot hand in tonight’s return engagement at the Mullins Center. …During the UMass-Ohio broadcast on Tuesday, ESPN analyst Craig Haubert said “If you’ve been following UMass this season as we have, A.J. Harrison is the third quarterback to play.” It’s Hairston not Harrison, Craig. … The undefeated UMass women’s hoops team (4-0) hosts Boston College today at noon. On Tuesday coach Mike Leflar’s team rolled over UMass-Lowell, 85-45, in a Kennedy Cup tilt before 885 fans at the Mullins Center. … WFAN’s Joe Benigno on Mets GM and “Hahvad” man David Stearns: “This idea that Stearns is a Mets fan, you know this guy’s got an Aaron Judge jersey in his closet.” … Former UMass athletic director John McCutcheon went to BC and probably kept a Flutie jersey in his closet. … What is it with these announcers mispronouncing UMass? It’s UMass boys not YOUmass. … Reader Bruce Bennett, a UMass fan and 1978 graduate writes: “I would like to know how much money is spent on the football program, how much revenue the program produces and what are the players getting paid through NIL money.” You and me both Bruce, but it ain’t happening. … UMass men’s hoops has moved up a few notches in the Pomeroy Men’s Basketball Ratings off three straight wins. The Minutemen are ranked 188th of 365 teams … Ross Tucker on his all-time favorite QB: “I don’t know if I’ve seen a guy throw a football like Dan Marino. It was absolutely beautiful, quickest release ever, most perfect spiral, it was phenomenal.” … “I want the Chiefs (5-4) to be the No. 2 seed behind New England so you don’t face them until the AFC title game, ” says the SportsHub’s Michael Felger. …
Toronto bench coach Don Mattingly left the Blue Jays after their seventh game loss to the Dodgers. “As good as the good is, the bad’s not far behind and it sucks.” There’s talk he might be named the Phillies bench coach. … Have mercy on the Mercyhurst hockey team. Going into last night’s game at Canisius the Lakers were 0-11-0 and had been outscored 57-15. … Former Bruin Milan Lucic has no goals and one assist in four games with the Springfield Thunderbirds. … Deerfield native Kazimier Sobieski has two goals and three assists for the RPI Engineers who are 3-9-0. … The first three picks in this year’s NFL draft haven’t lived up to their promise. Tennessee’s Cam Ward is 23rd in passing yards, Jacksonville’s Travis Hunter had season-ending knee surgery, and Giants’ pass rusher Abdul Carter hasn’t had a sack in 10 games. WFAN’s Tiki Barber calls Carter a “one trick pony.” …
Congrats to Barb Weinberg’s UMass field hockey team for finishing 16-4 and tied for first in the MAC with Miami-Ohio. The RedHawks beat the Minutewomen, 2-1, in double overtime to win the conference championship. … We hear from a good source that before this season started Northfield’s Chris Kalinowski went on DraftKings and put a flyer on Drake Maye to win the MVP. … UMass is 131st in rushing, averaging 83.6 yards per game. “All the backs in the history of this game are the same when there isn’t any hole to run through,” said Bill Parcells. … The Mass. Turnpike opened in 1957. Road signs showed a pilgrim’s hat with an arrow through it. The hat remains but the arrow’s gone. Political correctness. Let’s not sweat the imagery and have a Happy Thanksgiving.