Sports The Toast Of The Turf Club by Jeff Carter One thing about thoroughbred owner Danny O'Neill: if one of his horses wins wire-to-wire, be prepared for quick review of the race replay, and then it's off for a celebratory drink at the nearest watering hole or his table in the turf club. It's a scene that has been played out numerous times, and with any luck, will again be in play when live racing returns to Bay Meadows for the San Mateo County Fair (August 6-18) and the Bay Meadows Fall Meet (August 29-November 3.) It was at the most recent Bay Meadows meet in June, when on Closing Week, The Irish Herald had the privledge of spending the last half off the card riding O'Neill's coattails following the impressive $12,500 maiden win by Slew Is King, who led every step and returned $6.80 on the win. O'Neill, a 65-year-old general contractor based in San Francisco who has owned thoroughbreds for the past 35 years, took on an air of being a pied piper of sorts, as virtually everybody he came in contact with congratulated him, and in return, O'Neill offered to buy them a drink. Didn't matter if we were in the Clubhouse Bar, or up in the turf club, where your standard Kettel One martini goes for 8-bucks-a-pop. With about 30 head in his string, give or take, the star at the moment is I'madrifter, a 3-time stakes-winner who was at one time considered one of the top NorCal prospects for the Kentucky Derby several years ago, and has bankrolled close to $300,000 in career earnings. This spring, I'madrifter-who is dynamite on the front and has a relaxed stride even when carving out a half-mile split in :46-and-change-won the Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in March. He subsequently tried a "turf experiment," but ran out-of-the-money after setting the pace and fading slightly at the end. In June, I'madrifter produced a solid workout for O'Neill and trainer Steve Specht, they opted for an $80,000 stake up in Washington at Emerald Downs. Again, I'madrifter was among the betting favorites and was prominent throughout, but just came up short in the drive and finished fourth. "I really feel that I'madrifter is back on his game," said a smiling O'Neill that afternoon at Bay Meadows, three days prior to departing for his stable star's commendable effort at Emerald Downs. "I won't rule out a possible trip (for I'madrifter) to Del Mar, but most likely, he'll probably run in one of the stakes at the Northern California Fairs." It was suggested that given that layout, perhaps I'madrifter would be best suited for a race at Cal Expo, which has long favored front-end types with it's surface that some have likened to US 101. O'Neill quickly shot down that theory, noting that his Washington-bred already tried that once, detested the supreme heat, and "washed out badly." The skinny on the rest of the string O'Neill said he has several 2-year-olds in training, the most impressive of which are Comic Express and Suprized. Comic Express, a $25,000 purchase whom O'Neill owns in partnership with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and agent David Chase, is supposed to make his debut at Del Mar, and O'Neill is confident he has a runner on his hands. "This one could be any kind," said O'Neill. O'Neill saw several of his personal favorites claimed away (bought out of races) over recent months, including Gifted Daughter, Russell Cave and Tiger Slew. Others who were red-tagged include All A Con for $80,000, and Monica Tripped Bill for $25,000. "I really enjoyed owning all of those horses, especially because of the number of wins they gave us," said O'Neill. "Gifted Daughter won a $100,000 stake and placed in another. It's too bad we lost her for $32,000, but that's how it has to go sometimes. I was surprised that Slew Is King didn't get claimed, especially since he's a half-brother to I'madrifter." If they ever have a "Survivor" series for racehorses, Slew Is King would have to be the morning-line favorite. In June of 2000, he became extremely ill as the result of an intestinal infection. "Slew Is King was so weak and frail at that time, all you had to do was blow on him and he'd fall over," O'Neill related. "Fortunately, we were able to get him to some good veteranarians at UC-Davis, and we we're able to nurse him back to health. I had to spend $6,000 in vet bills alone in one week, but at least we were able to save him, so it was worth it." Slew Is King subsequently resumed training about a year ago, and now looks to be poised to pick some wins on the NorCal circuit in the $10,000-$20,000 claiming range. For O'Neill, who grew up on a farm in Co. Wickow, horses have long been in his blood. His older brother, Ted, currently owns Ann Marie Farms (formerly Mandysland Farm) in Paris Kentucky, where he has about 150 acres and 17 broodmares, and five broodmares of Danny's. O'Neill still in business with former owner of Funny Cide While sitting at his table in the Bay Meadows turf club, the subject was eventually bound to come around to his friendship with Tony Everard, an Irishman in his own right who is currently an Ocala, Florida-based trainer who gained international acclaim last spring when Funny Cide won the the first two-thirds of the Triple Crown. Everard-who was at a Bay Meadows juvenile sale in 2000 along with Danny and Ted O'Neill-is one of the best at taking a yearling or 2-year-old, and getting them into racing shape, and then re-selling the horse for double or triple what he paid. O'Neill, who has known Everard for seven years, maintains the two are still on good terms, even though O'Neill would've appreciated a call a bit sooner when Everard was shopping Funny Cide around and eventually went on to make headlines the world over. Everard originally bought Funny Cide for $22,000, and sold him for $75,000. "I own a Vaudeville filly with Tony, but she's shin-bucked right now," said O'Neill. "I was really happy for Tony, and he seems to have taken it all pretty well," he added, referring to the notion that Everard was once the owner of a horse that had the potential to put close to $8 million in his coffers had he retained ownership rights and had Funny Cide captured the $5 million Visa Triple Crown Bonus. "You know what Tony said to me about the whole thing..? He said, 'This is what I do (train horses, then sell them.) Funny Cide was good for business." "Tony's a good friend, and if he likes something, I trust him. If he'd offered me a chance to buy Funny Cide for $75,000 I would have been happy to give him a check." Will The 'Sam Maguire' End Up In Ulster Again This Year? by Michael McGarry At the time of writing there are ten teams left in the race for the Sam Maguire cup and half of them play in Ulster yet none of the five northern teams are strongly fancied to go all the way. The fact that Tyrone have consistently been the best team in the league since the turn of the year has been overlooked and they must really fancy their chances of capturing their first All Ireland senior title. Armagh accomplished the same feat last year and are looking increasingly capable of going back to back after a slow start. The manner in which they disposed of a valiant Limerick side in the fourth round of the qualifiers typified what Ulster football is all about. Efficiency is the name of the game and at this stage in the competition Tyrone and Armagh are the staffbearers for this brand of football. Nothing fancy, nothing out of the ordinary-just solid defending, reliable scorers and a desire to contest every fifty-fifty ball. Without a doubt the Cinderella story is Fermanagh. After being dumped out of Ulster by Down they went on to register victories over Cavan, Meath and Mayo to secure the most unlikely of places in the quarter finals. An amazing achievement when you consider that Fermanagh has the fewest registered players of any of the thirty-two counties. A big day against Kerry, Galway or Laois awaits over the August bank holiday weekend and another upset would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ulster football will have a big say in the destination of the Sam Maguire for many years to come. The presence of Fermanagh in the quarter finals is the best evidence yet that the back door system (with all of its limitations) is promoting the game in a positive way. Ten years ago the footballers of Fermanagh would have started in the Ulster championship, played a game or two , and would be fishing by mid June. Instead, an extended run in the qualifiers and a trip to Croke park for an All Ireland quarter final looms. With all of the media coverage and large television viewership it makes you wonder how many young Fermanagh children will be inspired to follow in the footsteps of Ray Gallagher (their fine centre half forward) and play gaelic games in the future. Make no mistake about it-the qualifiers are a great improvement on the old system and Fermanagh is living proof that sometimes change is good. More power to them. Donegal and Down are the other two Ulster teams left standing and they meet July 26 to decide who will play in the quarter finals. The crystal ball I normally consult has mysteriously disappeared into the blue recycling bin in the garage and so I have no way of telling how the rest of the hurling and football championship will turn out. You may remember how I took a look deep into the swirling mists of the crystal ball and came up with Dublin for Maguire and Clare for McCarthy. Recycling is too good for that particular piece of glass!! There are times when speculation is more entertaining than information. It is entirely conceiveable that the semi finals of the All Ireland football championship of 2003 will be contested by four teams from Ulster. The quarter final match ups will see Tryone play the winner of the Kildare/Roscommon game, then Fermanagh, Armagh the winners of the Donegal v Down game will play the provincial champions-Kerry, Galway and Laois. If Fermanagh are drawn against Laois then the seemingly ridiculous speculation may not be so crazy after all. Fermanagh are on a roll and suspensions to key Laois players might just be the recipe for another miracle. The possibility of a rematch of last year's final between Kerry and Armagh is very real and there are those who think Armagh may be improved from last year's team. None of the Ulster teams will be overawed at the prospect of facing Laois or Galway. This years football championship has already thrown up a lot of surprises and the best is yet to come. I spent a lot of time poring over the All Ireland hurling match ups. I studied form and panels and scoring stats and possible venues and history and the best I could come up with is-Kilkenny for the cup. Cork, Wexford, Offaly and Tipperary could pick a representative team that would still lose by eight points. I just hope I haven't put the kiss of death on the Cats as I did with Dublin and Clare!!! Cusacks 3-12 Ulster 4-12 by Michael McGarry Windy Bayview park in Burlingame was the venue for the contest of the two leading teams in the mens Junior "A" division on Saturday afternoon July 26. This meeting may well prove to be an audition for the final which will decide who represents San Francisco at the North American championship finals in Boston over the Labor weekend holiday and if the audition is anything to go by then the final production will be one that you won't want to miss. The strong breeze that is always prevalent off the bay plays an important role in any game played here and it would appear that no lead is insurmountable when the wind is at your back. Cusacks faced the stiff wind in the first half and Ally Downey put the boys in blue a point up after three minutes with a sweet left foot curler from a free out of his hands. Philip McCarthy then sprinted through the middle and linked up well with Dean Doherty who scored a fine goal to put Cusacks up by four. It was at this point that heavy physical challenges that would continue throughout the game began. Although some minor fisticuffs, on and off the ball, caused distraction the contest never descended into all out war. This was largely due to the intervention of the referee who called the captains aside to offer a firm lecture. When the game resumed, a couple of points from play and two Eugene Cudden free kicks brought Ulster back to level terms after ten minutes as they began to use the wind to their full advantage. The ball was fought for tooth and nail at every position with Ulster adding a meager three points to Cusacks one so that with five minutes to play in the first half the team from the north had just a two point advantage. The prospect of battling their fiercest rivals and the elements with a slender lead must have spurred on the Ulster club at this point as Jody Ogle, and the two Fergals- Mc Mahon and Clancy-all netted to go to the break with a tally of 3-7. Cusack captain Eammon McCusker kicked a super long range point before forcing Ulster 'keeper Kevin Grimley into a fine save to tip over a thunderous effort that was headed for the roof of the net. When the sides changed ends the scoreboard showed Ulster with a healthy nine point lead but with the wind freshening Cusacks will have felt a comeback was on the cards. Two quick points off the boot of Downey and Jonathon Best got Cusacks off to a flier to start the second half. A couple of wides was no cause for alarm as Cusacks were creating so many chances. Eoin Long was starring for the blues and scored a couple more excellent points from way out the field before Ulster notched their first score of the second half after ten minutes. Cusacks were now just six points adrift but were not making the most of the advantage presented by the wind. Too many balls were kicked over the heads of their forwards or attempted points were falling short of the mark and it was Ulster who went on to score three crucial points during the middle of the second half. Eugene Cudden was controlling the midfield area spraying accurate passes and setting up scoring opportunities. A couple of extended breaks for injuries meant there would be plenty of time to be added on at the end (sixteen minutes as it turned out). Cusacks introduced Mike Wallace and Darragh O'Connor late on as legs grew weary and these substitutions had an immediate effect on the game as each scored and O'Connor in particular looked a cut above the rest. As the frantic final minutes were played out Ulster clung to a slender three point lead as Cusacks went agonizingly close to equalizing in a goalmouth scramble that wound up going wide, causing the many Ulster supporters to issue a sigh of relief. The scores finished 4-12 to 3-12 with Ulster just about hanging on for a moral victory and a place atop the league table. When next the sides meet there is sure to be more fireworks with a trip to Boston at stake. Players and Ratings (Out of ten) Ulster: K.Grimley(7) D.King(6) M.English(7) K.Feeley(6) D.Rafferty(8) M.Donnelly(7) M.Collins(6) J.Healy(8) D.Jordan(8) F.McMahon(8) E.Cudden(9) J.Ogle(8) F.Clancy(7) J.Fearn (7) O.McKenna (6) Cusacks: M.Offord(7) J.Nolan(7) D.O'Donnell(6) P.Foley(6) J.Best(8) E.McCusker(8) P.McCarthy(8) A.O'Rourke(6) E.Long(9) E.Clancy(7) D.Doherty(7) A.Downey(7) D.O'Connor(8) M.Wallace(8)   These are a few sample stories. For more, pick up your free copy of The Irish Herald. Click here to find the Irish Herald vendor nearest you. Main | Where's the Craic? | Advertising Rates Classifieds | Where to Find The Irish Herald Subscribe to The Irish Herald | Links About The Irish Herald