John Eisenberg

A trainer's equation: two horses plus luck

May 3, 2007

At the annual dinner for Kentucky Derby trainers Tuesday night, an equine transport company held a drawing for a free plane ride. Bill Kaplan, a Florida trainer with two Derby horses, was holding court with reporters at his barn early yesterday at Churchill Downs when a representative from the transport company informed him that he had won the drawing.

    Recent columns

  • Barbaro's owners driven by love

    January 30, 2007

    The death of a thoroughbred racehorse is never less than heartbreaking. The horses are magnificent athletes, bred to race, with muscular torsos perched on sinewy legs. They instinctively give their all. They deserve good fortune but don't always get it.

  • It's stuff of fiction, but it's fact

    January 10, 2007

    Let's call it what it is: a pure sports fantasy.

  • Bonds that made '66 O's special remain strong

    October 21, 2006

    After all these years, they shared another bus ride the other night.

  • A beautiful day suddenly takes a terrible turn

    May 21, 2006

    All day, right up until the start of the race, it was one of the best Preakness Saturdays. The weather was magnificent, the crowd colossal, the mood euphoric. Bettors sent Barbaro off as the 1-2 favorite, thinking they might see a piece of Triple Crown history.

  • Whose horse?

    May 17, 2006

    Barbaro's Kentucky Derby victory was easy - a lot easier than deciding which state gets to brag about it.

  • Elrod's widow can't forget: 'Fact is they broke his heart'

    April 4, 2006

    Her late husband's team began another season yesterday at Camden Yards. Her youngest son threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

  • O's should do right thing, retire Hendricks' number

    March 31, 2006

    Opening Day at Camden Yards is just days away, and the Orioles still haven't decided whether to retire Elrod Hendricks' uniform No. 44.

  • Today's vagabonds can't grasp Hendricks' connection

    December 24, 2005

    As I drove in to work yesterday, I listened to radio talk shows still mourning Elrod Hendricks' death. That was all the callers wanted to discuss.

  • Elrod's team was community

    December 22, 2005

    In his own way, Elrod Hendricks was the most valuable Oriole every year. He was a one-man community outreach program, forever taking the time to sign autographs, chat up fans, make appearances, giggle with kids - the kind of stuff that pro athletes used to do all the time.

  • No bows for Brooks

    September 14, 2005

    THE ORIOLES will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brooks Robinson's major league debut Saturday at Camden Yards, but Robinson won't be there to help.

  • F. Robinson, 70, still has what O's lack -- fire

    August 31, 2005

    FRANK ROBINSON turns 70 today, still angry after all these years.

  • Juice leaves lasting stain on Palmeiro

    August 2, 2005

    Rafael Palmeiro sounded pretty convincing yesterday when he explained how he had "unintentionally" used a banned steroid. He was even more convincing last March when he told a congressional committee he had "never used steroids - period."

  • He defined era long gone, forever embraced

    March 7, 2005

    CHUCK THOMPSON would have blushed at the suggestion that his death and Johnny Unitas' were in any way comparable. He didn't play the games, he just broadcast them. Unitas was the one on the field, the one who was important, the one whose death signaled the passing of an era.

  • Now there's a spot of tarnish in golden world of Phelps

    November 10, 2004

    UNTIL NOW, when people said of Michael Phelps that he wanted it all, they meant he wanted seven gold medals or as much Olympic success as possible.

  • Streak makes Ripken an ironclad great, though he'd find fame even without it

    October 10, 2001

    INCREDIBLY, people used to argue about whether Cal Ripken was a deserving Hall of Famer without the consecutive-games streak.

  • In Ripken's sentimental journey, last chance to play is the real trip

    October 7, 2001

    WHY DID YOU and Cal become such good friends?" a reporter asked Brady Anderson before Cal Ripken's last game last night at Camden Yards.

  • Iron Man's timing on, as always

    June 19, 2001

    He got it right again.

  • All aboard the Rahman bandwagon

    April 24, 2001

    COME ON. BE HONEST. Until a few day ago, if Hasim Rahman had come up to you on the street, introduced himself and forced you to guess if he was, a) a backup defensive back for the Ravens, b) a middle school science teacher, or, c) a heavyweight title contender from Abingdon in Harford County, you never would have guessed the last of the three.

  • We were just too tough, too good

    January 29, 2001

    TAMPA, Fla. -- You saw it. The Giants gave in. Early. Long before the game was over. Long before it was even decided.

  • We were just too tough, too good

    January 29, 2001

    TAMPA, Fla. -- You saw it. The Giants gave in. Early. Long before the game was over. Long before it was even decided.

  • Ties that bind are fitting as a tribute to Steadman

    January 24, 2001

    TAMPA, Fla. - Ernie Accorsi will wear one to the Super Bowl on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. So will some writers in the press box.

  • While Williams shrugs, Goodman is left hurt, dangling

    September 8, 1999

    If you make a mistake, you pay for it. That's how most of the world operates.

  • For Donovan, emotional ties are long gone

    November 25, 1998

    So, the moment is at hand. The Colts at Baltimore. The great grudge match, hon. Our past against our present. The horseshoe against, well, a logo under pending litigation.

  • This year, Donovan has some hearty thanks to give

    November 28, 1991

    At various times in his 67 years, Art Donovan has used this day to give thanks for Spam, the old days in the Bronx, salami, offensive linemen who couldn't block, beer by the case, NFL Films, football on real grass, David Letterman, Italian food, life after 60 and the fact that he got to live in America, because, as he once put it, his ancestors in Ireland didn't have anything to eat.

John Eisenberg

John Eisenberg

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