“I’m the new Sinatra and since I made it here I can make it anywhere. Yeah they love me everywhere.”
Jasmine Villegas - who upset fans and horses alike with her god awful singing at Belmont on Saturday.
The above statement is contained in the opening lyrics of the Jay-Z/Alicia Keys hit “Empire State of Mind” – which in an ironic twist replaced the traditional singing of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” on Saturday prior to the 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes. With the original artists unable to attend, teen sensation Jasmine Villegas was called on to offer her vocal skills to the crowd. The result, at least from what we saw on the television broadcast, was an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions.
How bad was it?
The performance was so brutal that ABC actually cut away from the unfolding catastrophe in order to go to commercial break. A merciful decision that no doubt spared the eyeballs of countless viewers from being jabbed with writing utensils or other blunt objects. Upon returning to the coverage, it was suggested that the beached-whale-with-a-hernia sounding notes had actually upset Make Music for Me (rather ironic, given the horse’s name).
Look, I don’t mean to be too harsh (especially towards a 16-year-old) – as I’m all for trying new things in an effort to connect more with the next generation. It’s just that the performance by Villegas actually set a new standard of “bad” for me – replacing such cherished moments as William Hung’s initial American Idol audition and Roseanne Barr’s rendition of the National Anthem. What I find absolutely unbelievable are the celebrity chasers out there calling the performance “brilliant”. Either those pieces were written ahead of time or it proves that some folks are so obsessed with celebs that no matter what they do it will be referred to as brilliant.
The sub par effort by the “star” Villegas may have been a bad omen for the heavy favorite in the Belmont as well; Ice Box. The son of Pulpit would never quite get unwound in the stretch, finishing completely off the board in 8th place. Nick Zito mentioned that we “hadn’t seen the real Ice Box today” in post race interviews. Indeed – just as we hadn’t heard the real “Empire State of Mind” either. I’m sure the pedestrian opening half-mile fractions set by First Dude didn’t help the situation – and of course it’s always possible that Ice Box was still sorting out in his head whether Villegas effort qualified as music or whether NYRA had been sacrificing moose live over the PA system in some sort of shocking cult ritual. In that sense, it’s understandable that he didn’t show up with his best stuff.
Villegas and Ice Box weren’t the only ones turning in crappy performances though. If I’m going to be a harsh critic, it’s only fair that I do the same with my own selections. I didn’t have the winner of the Belmont anywhere on my radar going into the race. In fact, I had called Drosselmeyer a “money burner” in a conversation with a work buddy earlier in the week (in my defense, Drosselmeyer had lost as favorite in 4 of his 8 lifetime races coming into the Belmont, so the description seemed to fit for the moment). He and Uptowncharlybrown were complete toss-outs for me that I expected would be overbet at the windows. I gave them no chance.
Full Results Chart from Equibase
We had noted earlier in the week that the Belmont needed a hero. Thankfully, Drosselmeyer was not affected by the off-key tone and butchered notes. The son of Distorted Humor sports German sounding nomenclature inspired by The Nutcracker (“Herr Drosselmeyer”), so perhaps we should not have been surprised? It is the Teutons after all who celebrate the musical talents of David Hasselhoff and persist in keeping reruns of ALF culturally relevant.
None of that previous history mattered as Drosselmeyer entered the post parade. He looked absolutely regal with his chestnut coat showing a fine glow and his ears perked up suggesting readiness for a top performance. If I had spent just a few more moments focusing on the trouble he had encountered in the Risen Star, Louisiana Derby, and Dwyer Stakes (Grade 2′s all), perhaps I could’ve cashed in on his 13-1 goodness?
Instead, I was stuck ripping up my First Dude and Ice Box themed tickets. In that sense, I seem to share the fate of Villegas and Ice Box – an utter failure on Belmont Saturday!
But wait – there’s more!!!
Did anyone out there actually get to witness the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap? Probably not, considering it wasn’t televised live anywhere. I’m thinking there may have been a ripple in space-time that has opened up a series of tangent universes out there – where every conceivable possibility for the race has played itself out. We seem to exist in one of those bubbles in which an improbable outcome took place. Winchester, an off the charts longshot, somehow managed to upset a defending 2009 Eclipse Award winner in Gio Ponti to win his second race in a row – proving that yes, definitively, Winchester is a repeater.
I don’t know who dropped the ball on this one, but to have an entire crew from ABC/ESPN on location covering the Belmont, and then to pay absolutely no attention to a Grade 1 turf race featuring the return of the top U.S. turf horse from the previous year?
Epic fail – perhaps even more so than Villegas, Ice Box, or my own god awful selections.
So where does the weekend leave us? Just as expected, really – with more questions than answers. I don’t think we have a clear picture of the 3-year-old division even now. I’d still lean towards Lucky as the overall leader – but Drosselmeyer and Fly Down have moved into the discussion by finishing 1, 2 in the Belmont. I really thought my boy First Dude was in good shape after the opening half mile – and I’d suspect we’ll see some more of him this summer as well – provided the dude abides.
Hopefully though we’ve seen the last of sub-par musical performances aimed at gen-next…and equally awful handicapping selections.
Hats off to the connections of Drosselmeyer for their big Belmont victory. I sure hope SOMEBODY out there managed to take down that Pick 4 for $167k!!!!
I was so disappointed that they didn’t televise the Manhattan. I thought it was going to be the best race on the card. I recorded all the coverage as I wanted to catch all the earlier races. Went back through the recording looking for the Manhattan, sure that I must have missed it in flipping back and forth between the live coverage and the earlier races.
Hey,
Hasselhoff hasn’t been popular in Germany since the early 90s (a few lost souls excepted) and it certainly helped that at the time most Germans didn’t really understand the lyrics.
Also, I’m not sure if ALF was more successful in Germany than most other countries, but I don’t think it’s on the air anymore (according to websources it was briefly televised by Tele 5 this year, but this is a really remote channel specializing in cheap rerun material and if anything, less relevant than WGN, which aired the series in America this year.
Otherwise, good post.
Same situation with the Dixie prior to the Preakness.No broadcast.
I have both TVG and HRTV and they are blocked by contactual obligations.
May have been a good omen for me.Dry as a bone to that point,I was fortunate
to have the Manhattan exacta.
Way too much fluff in network coverage.
Kevin,
Excellent post. Winslow Homer and Laus Deo are back in training and I’m hoping they can, perhaps, be a factor later in the season.
It’s obvious that ABC cut to commercial because they were running late and were required to get a commercial break in before the running of the Belmont Stakes. Big business. To suggest that the network cut to commercial for any other reason indicates your limited understanding of much more than just handicapping. Also, I suspect that the Manhattan was not broadcast because ABC would not be able to properly lead up to the Belmont Stakes if the network just jumped from the Manhattan straight into the Belmont. The Manhattan is a great race every year, but it often gets lost in the shuffle because of its position as the race prior to the Belmont. Kevin, I think you should consider exercising a little more common sense before you submit your blog column. Do you have an entertainment blog as well that we should know about? I hear there is an opening as a judge on American Idol next year. Sometimes we find our calling in life, later in life. Eye-opening experience for you I am sure.
Hey Jonny: Do you work for ABC? There is 45 minutes b/w the Manhattan and Belmont! WTF are you talking about — “jump right into.” You telling Kevin to exercise “common sense” when you obviously have NO sense is pretty comical.
Enjoyed this post. But more than the poor performance, that song HAS to go. did NYRA even listened to the lyrics? Kind of like not reading the bill… With regards to the Woodford Reserve, unless you were watching the live track feed, you missed Diana Firestone lead Winchester into the winner’s circle. That was pretty cool. Glad to see that they are still in the game.
I get the live track feed on my cable and I would have been watching that for the Manhattan if I thought that ABC would leave it out. However, because I was watching the earlier races on a recording, I just cut over to the ABC live coverage when the Belmont was getting ready to go – didn’t want to wait to see it. Was disappointed when I went back to catch up that the Manhattan wasn’t on the show.
I have to agree, I didn’t like that song or her rendition of it. There’s no emotion in it.
I was at the race, standing near the finish line not far from where she was singing. Fortunately the crowd’s screaming drowned her out. When I listened to her on TV after getting home, I was horrified.
As always Big Man, you have an opinion and you are not afraid to state it. You are right on Big Man, the song was dreadful. I was there in person, and unlike you, had no commercial break to save me.
Totally agree on the song, but it was awesome for some laughs, our whole living room lit-up with that sorry performance! (: I personally liked it when they did New York, New York before.
I blew the race as well, and I’m still not convinced that Drosselmeyer is going to be a major factor the rest of the year. First Dude ran another great race, I can’t wait to see what goes on with him the rest of this year and Fly Down too. Ice Box was disappointing but I agree with Zito that he is much better than what he showed in the Belmont.
Nice job Kevin, I always enjoy the way you interlace your insightful writing with great humor!
OK, how many people have responded without giving mad props for the “Winchester … repeater” pun?
Situation rectified.
Maybe NYRA can rectify the song situation next year by going back to “New York, New York.” The song “Empire State of Mind” just doesn’t suit a classic horse race, no matter who sings it.
And, truly, what-up with Jonny? Not enough time to air the Manhattan? For real?
Finally, almost certainly, ABC switched away from Jasmine Villegas performance to spare the audience and the singer any more grief. I got to see it today on YouTube. It was bad. Not really the poor kid’s fault — a disaster from the moment NYRA made the switch — but it was bad.
There are some traditions you just don’t mess with… and “New York, New York” at the Belmont is one of them. Thankfully I was at my local simulcasting facility and was spared the awfulness of a spoiled 16 year old wannabe who couldn’t have made the first cut at an American Idol tryout.
Now what would have been impressive was having trainer Eoin Harty singing that song (“… I make a Yankee cap more famous than a Yankee can…”) LOL
See ya at The Spa!
Did you see what Sarah Palin wore? She looked like she was going to run a shell game in the infield or something. http://gawker.com/5558406/did-sarah-palin-get-a-boob-job-a-photographic-investigation
LOL – you guys are hysterical. I’m not sure why Johnny took such offense to the post. Perhaps he’s either a diehard ABC or Jasmine Villegas fan?
@Glenn Craven – I’d just like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed your article on the subject as well. In fact, Malcer’s comment there (about the “thorough-ho’s”) had me banging on the table and laughing out loud – quite literrally – with everyone in earshot looking at me like I was some crazed fool. Glad you enjoyed the Winchester comment. I’ve been playing a bit too much Red Dead Redemption lately, so I couldn’t resist the gratuitous reference.
G.Q. – when are you heading up to the Spa? I’m still a Saratoga virgin – never had the pleasure. It’s just so darn hard to get extended time off that we can make such journeys with the two little guys running around. I keep thinking “maybe next year.”
Raincoaster – I tried to stay away from the Palin references – if only because I find myself in the precarious position of typically being “right of Barry” and “left of Sarah” on most issues -which means nobody agrees with me and I just wind up pissing everyone off equally.
I must say though – the outfit was rather flattering.
All – those of you who frequent Twitter will understand this last statement: Having read up on Ms. Villegas in preparing this post, I can safely say I know the reason she bombed in Saturday’s live performance. It was all “because of Bieber.”
Excellent post. I thought def it was going to be the best race on the card.i Enjoyed this post.
YOUR VERY VERY UGLY AND STUPID
I HATE YOU AND YOU NEED TO GET OFF OF JUSTIN BIEBER
Great article about horseracing. You have a amusing and interesting style. Maybe next years winner will come from Mountain Trail Training Center
We just won the Pa Nursery with Der Meister, keep an eye on him.
In the horse racing world there is a ton of information and different systems available to improve handicapping. Throughout years of reading and research the only true way to become very successful at handicapping boils down to 3 key principles. With knowledge, the ability to adapt to different situations, and discipline to do the work spending time on your selections you will dominate any track you come across. There are so many factors that can affect any given race that some races you can look at a hundred different times and still be dumbfounded.