USA: HORSERACING - FUNNY CIDE, WINNER OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY RESTS AT HIS BELMONT STABLES NEW YORK.

Record ID: 648873

  • Title: USA: HORSERACING - FUNNY CIDE, WINNER OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY RESTS AT HIS BELMONT STABLES NEW YORK.
  • Date: 15th May 2003
  • Summary: BELMONT RACETRACK, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 15, 2003)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. FUNNY CIDE WALKING INTO RACE TRACK BEING RIDDEN BY ASSISTANT TRAINER ROBIN SMULLEN 2. VARIOUS FUNNY CIDE STANDING ON SIDE OF TRACK 3. SKITTISH HORSE 4. VARIOUS FUNNY CIDE TROTTING 5. PHOTOGRAPHERS 6. VARIOUS FUNNY CIDE WALKING BACK TO STABLES 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SMULLEN SAYING: "It hasn't affected us at all, the only thing that has affected us is the fact that we feel for Jose, because it was needless, it was a blunder on the reporters part, it was taken care of as quickly as possible by the stewards, although it never should have gone that far, because it was clearly, clearly a mistake on their part, it was negligent reporting was what it was. We felt Jose but we knew the outcome was going to be positive, anyone could have told that by looking at the pictures." 8. VARIOUS FUNNY CIDE BEING WASHED 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SMULLEN SAYING: "He's great, he's doing real well, he came out of the Derby well, he's eaten well since, he's trained well since, he's picked his weight back up, all horses loose a little bit of weight in a race, but he's picked it back up, so he's doing great." 10. FUNNY CIDE BEING LED BACK INTO STABLES Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELMONT RACETRACK, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA19FDNTTDMU5W02OQJUDCZQ9LO
  • Story Text: Trainers say the winner of the prestigious Kentucky
    Derby in the U.S, Funny Cide (pronounced Side), is recovering
    well from his win last Saturday. They believe he is poised to
    race just as well at this weekend's second Triple Crown event,
    the Preakness, despite landing a poor post position.



    It's been a dramatic week for Funny Cide's trainers
    and jockey.

    First the glory of winning the prestigious Kentucky Derby, then the
    trauma of accusations jockey Jose Santos used an illegal device to
    spur on his chestnut gelding.

    Santos was later cleared of the accusations.

    But none of it's affected the 3-year old thoroughbred, who
    was nonchalantly observing the track at Belmont in New York
    where he's stabled.

    Trainers say Funny Cide has recovered well from the
    Kentucky Derby and is now feeding well and maintaining his
    strength ahead of this Saturday's (May 17) the Preakness race
    in Pimlico, the second of the three Triple Crown events.

    Assistant Trainer, Robin Smullen, who was out riding Funny
    Cide Thursday morning, said they have not allowed the
    upsetting controversy following the Derby to disrupt Funny
    Cide's training and routine.

    "It hasn't affected us at all, the only thing that has
    affected us is the fact that we feel for Jose, because it was
    needless, it was a blunder on the reporters part, it was taken
    care of as quickly as possible by the stewards, although it
    never should have gone that far, because it was clearly,
    clearly a mistake on their part, it was negligent reporting
    was what it was. We felt Jose but we knew the outcome was
    going to be positive, anyone could have told that by looking
    at the pictures," said Smullen.

    Funny Cide is 7-5 favourite in the Preakness Stakes after
    drawing the short straw and landing a nine hole in a field of
    10.

    The middle jewel in the Triple Crown runs a mile and
    three-sixteenths, although showers are predicted for Friday,
    Saturday is set to be clouded.

    Funny Cide is being kept at his stables at Belmont right
    up until the day of the Preakness.

    Smullen says the horse recovers much better on home turf, and they'd
    prefer to keep him there right up until the last minute, before
    facing the crowds at Pimlico.

    Smullen said she and trainer Barclay Tagg have high hopes
    Funny Cide can race just as well at the Preakness as he did in
    the Derby.

    She said, "he's great, he's doing real well, he
    came out of the Derby well, he's eaten well since, he's
    trained well since, he's picked his weight back up, all horses
    loose a little bit of weight in a race, but he's picked it
    back up, so he's doing great."
    The third jewel in the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes
    on June 7. Funny Cide is the first gelding to win the Kentucky
    Derby since 1929.




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