Anne Campbell's - Dogwood Stable

D O G W O O D S T A B L E N E W S L E T T E R
VOL. XXXI No. 3 SEPTEMBER 2007
Dogwood Newsletter 30 th Anniversary Edition
Editor’s Note: Here is the tenth edition of
Anne Campbell’s always-popular Saratoga
Diary…
July 22: I usually agree with whoever said
“the anticipation of an experience is better
than the reality of the experience.” Not true of
Saratoga. Ahhhh! The old gal still has it!
July 23: Cot has taken up golf and I am his
aide de golf, ball-spotter, retriever (this is not
necessary on every hole!). “We” played nine
holes at the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club, a
lovely old course… Interesting panel of
speakers at the Museum, including Calvin
Borel, who won the Derby on Street Sense.
Asked how he liked meeting Queen Elizabeth
at the White House, he charmingly replied, “I
got along fine. I’m a likeable fellow.”
July 24: The matchless scenic drive to Manchester,
VT. Lunch at the Equinox Club with
dear friends Sally and Austin Brown.
Diamond Jim Brady, John L. Sullivan,
Jesse Lewison may not be dealing ’em at
Canfield’s Casino anymore – but there was
plenty of action at Paul Oreffice’s poker table
last night.
July 25: A festive Opening Day with mini-
The first Dogwood newsletter was published in 1977
– 30 years ago. The style, circulation, content, size (and
popularity) of the newsletter have all changed
dramatically since then. Our goal has always been to
entertain, inform, and (perhaps?!) enlighten our 5,000
readers. The picture pages have always been wildly
popular, and other favorites are Anne Campbell’s various
“Diaries” – from Saratoga, Kentucky Derby and
Breeders’ Cup. We will also take this opportunity to
(immodestly) report that we receive letters, emails,
and comments that our newsletter is “one of the best
in the industry” or “As soon as it arrives I sit down
and read it cover to cover.” We put a lot of elbow grease
into it, and it’s satisfying to know this level of appreciation
exists. At left is the first Dogwood newsletter.
Others depict Dogwood milestones.
Anne Campbell’s
celebrations of our 48 th Anniversary. In honor
of that, we did something we’ve wanted to do
for years but never had the nerve. We danced
to Reggie’s rendition of Old Fashioned Love
in front of a crowd of racing fans. Next came
the Anniversary Waltz. What a kick!
Charming incident: Driving past a barn,
Cot sees Carl Nafzger holding a horse in
front of him. After a brief wait, Carl moves
the big bay horse out of his way and cracked,
“I wouldn’t move this horse for anybody but
you… or Mr. Tafel!” It was Street Sense! The
affection and banter goes back to the Summer
Squall/Unbridled rivalry.
A dinner for two at Chez Pierre topped off
a happy day celebrating “A Riproarious Life.”
July 26: A much-needed day of fasting after
last night’s menu of escargot, ris de veau and
peach melba!
July 27: Front row seats with Jim Pippo at the
prize fights. This has gotten to be an annual
event. Please don’t ask me what I like about
boxing. I don’t exactly know!
July 29: Agony… Admiral Bird in a close
photo finish as we are (continued on page 2)

(continued from page 1)
making our way to the winner’s
circle thinking he/we had won.
We had not! Ecstasy… Street
Sense’s marvelous win in the
Jim Dandy. Calvin Borel
throwing kisses to the crowd,
smiling, waving, kissing Carl
Nafzger… he is indeed a
“likeable fellow.”
August 1: Dogwood Dominion
Luncheon honoring Wonder
Woman, Phyllis Shetron
who saves horses from slaughter
and backstretch workers
from deplorable living conditions.
A crowd of about 80
acclaimed this fifteenth
“unsung hero.”
August 3-4: Cot does a
“record-breaking” book signing
at the Museum. His Memoirs
are a topic of conversation
wherever we go.
I was co-chair of the Old
Bags Luncheon this year. Shoe
designer Taryn Rose was
keynote speaker and 225
women showed up to see her and to buy “old
bags.” We made $100,000 and half goes to the
NY Race Track Chaplaincy. Hurrah!
Marylou had her fabulous annual Whitney
Ball. I love the combination of black tie, hamburgers
and chocolate sundaes, and dancing.
Cotton Blossom ran very disappointingly in
the Test (turns out she did some damage to an
ankle). We consoled ourselves at the Darley
cocktail party, nursing our wounds with caviar
and champagne. The party was done in Dubai
style – a little Kasbah set off in one corner, bowls
made of ice holding huge lumps of crab, exquisite
flowers and a carpeted floor.
We had stellar house guests over the weekend.
Granddaughter Campbell and friend Jack
Richards added enormously to the festivities.
August 6-8: Four purchases Monday at the
SaratogaYearling Sale take care of the new Dogwood
inventory. We just kibitz on Tuesday night
after a hearty meal of ribs at a roadhouse.
My Backstretch Breakfast attracted over a
hundred people concerned about the living conditions
of the grooms, hot walkers, etc. People
opened their hearts and their wallets.
August 9: The most exciting benefit of the season
was a basketball game between a championship
fifth grade team and a team made up of
jockeys. The fifth graders were odds-on
favorites, but never underestimate the skill of
superb athletes. Kent Desormeaux and Eibar
Coa could be miniature Harlem Globe Trotters!
The score: jockeys 44 – fifth graders 36.
August 10-12: The very glamorous Museum
Ball was great fun. Cot and I hit the dance floor
2
1
1. Black and white style at the
Museum Ball. 2. Host Paul Oreffice
demonstrates his “poker face”
during one of his popular weekly
sessions. Other players shown
are Peter Bernstein, Cot, and
Marty Schwartz. 3. Shug McGaughey,
Anne, Frank Alexander, Allison
McGaughey, and Cot – finishing
up his all-time favorite dessert,
chocolate ice cream.
2
3
as soon as Bob Hardwick and his orchestra
played the first note. Fashion Statement: Instead
of wearing the gown I brought, I decided at the
last minute to do something different. I borrowed
a tux shirt from Cot, put it with a long
skirt and never felt more comfortable.
August 18: A day full of good things: Cot was
invited to become a member of the esteemed,
prestigious Jockey Club. The best thing about it
for me was the enormous display of affection
and enthusiasm of his peers. Later in the afternoonAtoned
won a minor stakes at Monmouth.
The first win in a while was really sweet!
August 19: The weather changes and so does
our racing luck: sweater weather kicks in and
Pulla Fast One lived up to his name and gave us
our first Saratoga win of the season.
August 22: Three days before the Travers we
had a delightful dinner with Gus and Jim Tafel.
August 23: We visit with Marlene Brody at her
farm in Ghent, NY. In addition to Gallagher’s
Stud, Marlene owns Gallagher’s Restaurant and
the Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC.
There have been dinners with the most interesting
people: the president of an NFL franchise,
a top executive at TV Guide, authors, chairmen
of Fortune 500 companies, educators, a worldclass
event planner, a publisher, ad men, restaurateurs,
designer of the new Yankee stadium, a
playwright, a rock star agent/promoter.
August 24: Second win: Philharmonic by eight!
August 25/Travers Day: Twenty-nine years ago
we won the prestigious Bernard Baruch with
Dominion. I thought for a few seconds we’d do
it again when Drum Major came roaring down
the stretch to finish a thrilling third.
The 97 degree heat is back, and the intense
humidity caused one of our box mates to have to
buy and change into a polo shirt to replace his
drenched long sleeved dress shirt!
August 28: A highly anticipated trip to the U.S.
Open as guests of great pals Margaret and Ian
Smith is aborted due to the closing of I-87. We
snaked along through little country roads for two
and a half hours, before we were able to turn
around and come home. So disappointing.
September 1: Common denominator of winners:All
start with a ‘P:’Pulla Fast One, Philharmonic,
Prom Party! Wish we’d had more ‘P’s.
Big-time fun at Chez Alexander (Frank and
Linda’s house), re-hashing the meet with them
and Shug and Allison McGaughey.
Spent one morning picking raspberries; that
afternoon, a trip to the winner’s circle – the yin
and yang of Saratoga.
Cot and I were sickened by the freak accident
that Edgar Prado suffered on Admiral Bird.
While galloping out after the race, a horse
crowded him; Edgar fell off, broke an ankle and
will miss the Breeders’Cup. Rotten luck.
September 3/Labor Day: The last day soaking
up all we can – lunch with Jack Sadler and the
Oreffices at the Reading Rooms; making the
rounds in the Clubhouse reluctantly saying
goodbyes to good pals; listening to Reggie and
the Boys signing off with Carolina in the Morning;
dinner at the Wishing Well serenaded by
Thanks for the Memories.
Amen and amen.

Phyllis Shetron Wins Dogwood Dominion Award
“These days we are
inundated with sports
heroes who engage in
fighting dogs and do despicable
things to the ones
that don’t win… with a
home run king who is
juiced up on steroids…
and we have an NBA
basketball referee who
bets on games in which
he officiates. At such a
time it is nice to come
together and honor fine
people in racing who are
remarkably unswerving
in their dedication to
noble deeds.”
These were the words spoken by Dogwood
President Cot Campbell at this year’s Dogwood
Dominion Award luncheon honoring Phyllis
Shetron on August 1 in Saratoga.
It was, perhaps, the most popular introduction
in the 15 year history of the Dominion
Cotton Blossom, Dogwood’s Grade 1
stakes winner of $724,987, was retired from
racing after sustaining an injury in the Grade
1 Test Stakes at Saratoga. Although her
abrupt departure from the racing stage was a
blow to the stable, the fact that she will be
one of the stars of Fasig-Tipton’s Selected
Mixed Sale on November 4 in Lexington
helps ease the pain!
A three-year-old
daughter of Broken
Vow, out of the
Dixieland Band mare
For Dixie, Cotton
Blossom was purchased
by Dogwood
for $210,000 at the
2005 Fasig-Tipton
July Selected Yearling
Sale. The leggy lass
broke her maiden at
first asking, and then
proceeded to run in
nothing but stakes. In all, Cotton Blossom ran
11 times, and compiled a record of four wins,
two seconds and two thirds.
Her career highlights included wins in
the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont and the Grade
3 Schuylerville at Saratoga. She also won
the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs. Cotton
Blossom was second in the Grade 1
Spinaway at Saratoga her juvenile season, a
year that was capped off with a third-place
finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Fillies at Churchill Downs. Other graded
stakes placings during the filly’s career
Dogwood Dominion Award winner Phyllis
Shetron accepts a check for $5,000 and the
statue of Dominion from Cot Campbell.
G1 Winner Cotton Blossom Retired
Cotton Blossom winning the Grade 1 Acorn
Stakes at Belmont Park.
Award, judging by the
appreciative applause of
the 80 attendees.
Phyllis was presented
with a check for $5,000
and a bronze statue of the
horse Dominion at the
annual luncheon at the
Reading Rooms. A trainer
based at Finger Lakes
Racetrack, Phyllis is a
staunch advocate of the
backstretch worker and is
also a co-founder of the
Finger Lakes Thoroughbred
Adoption Program.
Two years ago, Phyllis
learned that all the furniture in the grooms’dormitories
had been disposed of at the end of the
meet. Upon their return in the spring, the
grooms found bare rooms. Phyllis, knowing
that the grooms could not quickly come up
with enough money to purchase their own mattresses,
approached the local HBPA, but was
include a second in the Grade 2 Fantasy
Stakes at Oaklawn Park and third in the
Grade 2 Delaware Oaks.
“This was a filly who always had her game
face on,” said Dogwood President Cot Campbell.
“She danced in all the big dances and
gave us thrills from New York to Florida,
from Kentucky to Arkansas. She’s been one
of our special ones.”
Cotton Blossom’s
victory in the Acorn
Stakes made her Dogwood’s
14th Grade 1
winner – joining the
list of such notable
campaigners as Summer
Squall, Storm
Song and Wallenda.
It was the biggest win
of her career, on the
most important race
day of the year in New
York – Belmont
Stakes day. Her trainer and jockey – Todd
Pletcher and John Velazquez – visited the
winner’s circle with Cotton Blossom, then
returned later in the afternoon with Belmont
Stakes winner Rags to Riches.
Cotton Blossom is the half-sister to
Dogwood’s stakes winner Vicarage, winner
of the Grade 3 Perryville and Smoke
Glacken Stakes.
The filly is now in Kentucky at Robert
Clay’s Three Chimneys Farm, where she is
being prepared for the November Sale. She
will sell as part of that farm’s consignment.
told that there were no funds available. It
became Phyllis’s mission to get a mattress for
every groom. She worked with local store owners
who had disposed of mattresses, but she
had to retrieve them from the stores’dumpsters.
She was also instrumental in rescuing over
a dozen horses who had been promised a
good home upon the end of their racing
careers, but in reality were being consigned to
a livestock auction in Pennsylvania. Phyllis
and a friend went to Pennsylvania, where they
tracked down the Finger Lakes horses. One
had already been lost to the slaughterhouse,
but all the other horses were found and re-purchased.
Out of this tragedy, the Finger Lakes
Thoroughbred Adoption Program was born.
Both the track and the HBPA now help fund
the program.
Several former winners of the award were
present at the luncheon – Nick Caras, Danny
Perlsweig, Katherine Todd Smith, Julian
“Buck” Wheat, and Pete Lizarzaburu.
Judges for the award are Anne Campbell,
Penny Chenery and Jay Hovdey.
Schedule Update on
Memoirs of
a Longshot
Book
Signings:
There were two successful book signings
in Saratoga, and the fall promises to
be busy. Here’s a quick look at where
“the author” will be:
Oct. 10: Atlanta, GA
(Piedmont Driving Club)
Oct. 11: Franklin, TN
(Landmark Booksellers)
Oct. 19: Ocala, FL (Thoroughbred
Farm Managers meeting)
Nov. 11: Aiken, SC (Racing Hall of
Fame & Museum)
Nov. 16: Fairport, NY (Genesee Valley
Breeders Association)
Dec. 5: Aiken, SC (Connoisseurs of
Life series)
There is more detailed information on
these signings on the “Appearances” page
of Cot’s website – www.cotcampbell.com.
Memoirs of a Longshot can be
ordered through the Dogwood office for
a per copy price of $32 (incl. shipping).
It is also carried at select bookstores,
w w w. e x c l u s i v e l y e q u i n e . c o m ,
www.amazon.com and through the
publisher’s website, www.xlibris.com.
In November we will be sending information
concerning Christmas gift orders.
3

1
4
7
10
4
8
5
2 3
11
1. Finery, excitement and glamour: Saratoga. 2. Carl Nafzger – whose training impact was felt at Saratoga – Paul Oreffice, Anne
Campbell and Wanda Nafzger (his strong right arm!). 3. Lori Peterson, Drum Major approaching. 4. A thorn among four roses: Fran
Finley, Joelle Stone, Susan Henderson, and Jo Ann Oreffice. 5. Reading Rooms porch. Campbells, Margaret and Ian Smith, Oreffices.
6. Carl Myers and John Bitzer. 7. Book signing customers: Kyle and Hannah Pletcher. 8. Saratoga stalwarts Wheelock Whitney, Cot and
Jerry Shields. 9. David, Corinne Jones and Charlie Pigg. 10. Anthea Disney, Cot, Blythe and Robert Clay, Anne and Peter Howe…and
lots of Caesar salads! 11. Pat Day patiently listening. Early morning Race Track Chaplaincy benefit. 12. Tethered young music lover
listens to Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers.
9
12
6

13 14
16
19 20
21
22 23
17
13. Varying degrees of décolletage from co-chairperson Anne Campbell and famed designer (of couture footwear) Taryn Rose.
“Old Bags Luncheon.” 14. Wishing Well. Street Sense’s mama and papa, Gus and Jim Tafel, flanked by the Campbells.
15. Travers Day. Tafel and Anne (sporting Street Sense pin). 16. Eileen and Mike Tivnan on a hot day in the box section.
17. Maggie and Adrian Selby. 18. Jitterbugging between races! 19. Sam and Susan D’Amato, with Dean DeLuke (see page 7!).
20. Dogwood granddaughter Campbell Glenn and Jack Richards (Vanderbilt and Duke, respectively). 21. Cot, Jim Pippo, and
Paul Oreffice. 22. “Coach” Todd Pletcher discussing a key play with his basketball team (jockeys) during the Andrew Lakeman
fundraiser. Garrett Gomez sports the Dogwood colors. 23. Alan Concha, Steve Weddle and Bonnie Concha. 24. Pulla Fast One
headgear worn by partner Jimmy Dale Williams (right) and pal Tim Foley.
18
15
24
5

25
6
26 27
29 30
31
32
33
35
34
36
25. Speaking of hats! 26. Drum Major before one of the stakes he should have won. His mentor Cindy Hutter counsels Rafael Bejarano.
Stoic groom is Arturo Martinez. 27. Mary Jane Howell, in town to “mother hen” the Dogwood Dominion Award luncheon. 28. Pre-lunch
high jinks – Pippo and hostess. 29. Anne is enthralled, George Weaver dubious as Dick Norton declaims. 30. Weaver’s barn. Mikey and
Reynaldo Abreu. 31. Diane and Dick Ulbrich. 32. Von and Tracey Massey. 33. Anita and Ray Bird. 34. Chez Pierre. Dogwood attorney Kim
Taylor, wife Triska, Ed Bowen, Campbells and Saratogian Dick Norton. 35. America’s most popular jockey, Calvin Borel, with
George Weaver. 36. Glamorous NewYork lunch – George, Ruthie and Ed Bowen host Campbells at Gino’s. 37. The Flying Wallendas – Tino
Wallenda performs with his son Alex and daughter Aurelia on the high wire at the Old Friends “Wallenda” benefit.
28
37

It was a sight to behold – high wire performers
dressed in Dogwood silks, 40 feet above the
ground in Georgetown, Kentucky. But these
weren’t just any aerialists – they
were the Flying Wallendas – and
they were the star attraction at
the Old Friends Homecoming
Celebration on July 14. Three
generations of the Wallenda
family were there in honor of
Wallenda, the former Dogwood
runner (named for the family’s
patriarch) who is the newest res-
ident of the equine retirement
farm, having been brought back
from Japan in April.
Tino Wallenda, grandson of
the late Karl Wallenda, now
heads up the family. A horse lover with strong
family ties,Tino jumped at the opportunity to be
a part of the celebratory weekend at Old
Friends. When not performing, he and his family
spent time with Wallenda and the other
equine retirees – feeding pounds of carrots to
the delighted recipients.
“It is such an honor to have this horse named
Wallenda –
Home from Japan
No stranger to danger, Tino Wallenda
(grandson of Karl Wallenda) shares a carrot
with Wallenda.
for my grandfather,” said
Tino before climbing the
ladder to the high wire.
“I’m glad that my family
and I can be part of this
celebration – and it’s the
first time we’ve performed
in racing silks!”
Wallenda, trained by Frank Alexander, won
Forty feet above the ground!
The Flying Wallendas perform
at Old Friends to welcome back
Wallenda from Japan.
would be found by his foes in London, in such an obscure
hotel,andduringtheweekthattheequallyobscureGipsyLore
Society of England was hosting a conference at the Vicarage.
Granny had affectionately named her granddaughter
Hanna Banana, and it was so hard to believe that she had
morphed from that innocent child into a teen who possessed
acertainexcessofstreetsass.Withherprecociousyetimpudent
ways, Franny wondered if there would ever be a bridal
song in her future.
Ontheeveningofthepromparty,Franny,aswesaid,was
quite inebriated. So much so that two of Hanna’s prep school
friends, exchange students from England, taunted with
chants of “Ra-hoo! Granny’s blotto, isn’t she!”
InanadjacentroomattheTipperary,StanSlambinospoke
with Ralph Talentino, an old high school acquaintance, about
one of their favorite topics, college football. Ralph was the son
ofaGeorgiaalumnus,andhesharedhisfather’sadmirationfor
two great athletes, Frank Sinkwich and George Poschner.
Stan, on the other hand, always contended that Notre Dame
was the epicenter of college ball, now and always. Their battles
were a recurring theme at many social gatherings.
In another area of New Jersey, a very different battle
drumwasbeating.TurningdownBlackberryRoad,Tonyand
Sal Slambino were about to meet with Chester Dukinfield, an
FBI agent that Tony had befriended over the years. Chester
heard a rumor via the FBI skywire that Sal intended to pull a
fast one and circumvent a collaboration effort planned to
bring down Lou Gendarme, an expatriate from France, archenemytotheSlambinosandtheallegednewbossoftheNew
York City mob. Tony had done more than his share to help
Chester over the years, and had just recently delivered a
Middle Eastern crime figure identified only by the code name
“Prince Rahy.”
As Tony and Sal approached their parking place under
the bridge, Tony’s hands of stone were tightly clenched, as
if poised to nullify any potential foe. Chester’s black sedan
went soaring by, then circled back and came to a stop face
to face with Tony’s vehicle. Chester got out of the car and
stood tall, the Batt Masterson of the modern FBI. Tony, on
the other hand, while burly and tough, was closer in vertical
dimension to hall of famer Eddie Arcaro than to Masterson.
There was first some impertinent banter between the
two about Tony’s long standing feud with the editor of the
five stakes and earned $1,205,929 during his
racing career for Dogwood.Although Wallenda
began his stallion career in this country, he
ended up being sold to Japanese interests.
Last fall, Old Friends founder
Michael Blowen heard that Wallenda
was no longer breeding mares and he
began the campaign to bring the stallion
back home.
Today Wallenda has become one of
the most personable horses on the
farm, hamming it up for visitors,
according to Blowen.
And how did Dogwood come up
with the name Wallenda for its runner?
Karl Wallenda, at the age of 65, walked
a quarter of a mile on the high wire
across Tallulah Gorge in Georgia with
1,000 feet below him. When Cot
Campbell purchased the two-year-old
son of Gulch out of the mare So Glad at
a Fasig-Tipton sale in the early 1990s,
he named him Wallenda… since a
“gulch” is a bit like a gorge and Karl
Wallenda must have been “So Glad” when he
completed that particular high wire act!
“Calling All Writers” Story Contest Winner: Dr. Dean DeLuke
Editor’s Note: We asked our readers to submit a
story using all 54 names from our stable roster, –
and what a response we got! Our winner is
Dr. Dean DeLuke, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon
from Clifton Park, New York. Dr. DeLuke’s
story, reprinted below, is a mob tale with a heart.
At age 78, Frances Slambino did not relish the hallowed
heat that was typical of August in Hackensack N.J. Frances,
or “Granny Franny” as she was known to friends and family,
felt the sultry air and listened to the thunder pass, wondering
whether it signaled a cooling rain. She paused to think of “her
boys” as she still liked to refer to her four sons.
Franny was the widowed matriarch of a New Jersey mob
family, and it was on a similarly torrid day 17 years ago that
she heard the news of her husband Vincent’s death. He had
scarcely missed the birth of their first grandchild Hanna, born
just two days later. For Franny, the heartaches remain, only
slightly dulled by the passage of time.
So it was only natural for her to wonder whether a similar
untimely death might await one of her sons. Her boys all
had nicknames, real life Sopranos each of them. The oldest,
Anthony, with his characteristic low and rough-sounding
voice was dubbed “Gruffles.” Then, in descending order of
age, there was Salvatore “Big Wig” Slambino, Pauly “Baby
Cakes” Slambino and “Stan the Man” Slambino.
In contrast to her sons, Granny possessed a certain
homespun sophistication, more likely to support the New
Jersey Philharmonic than to show up drunk at the Tipperary
Inn in Englewood Cliffs. Consequently, many were surprised
when, on the preceding evening, that was precisely what she
had done. Perhaps she had an excuse. It was, after all, the
anniversaryeveofherhusband’sdeath,andshehadspentthe
preceding morning with her granddaughter Hanna, watching
herscullingwiththecrewteam.Lateron,whenitwastimefor
Hanna’s prom party, she was simply beside herself with the
realization that a full seventeen years had passed since
Hanna’s birth, and her husband’s death.
Her husband Vincent had checked into the rather inconspicuous
Vicarage Hotel in London, sent on “sabbatical” in
the midst of a bitter feud between rival families. One day later,
he was found by a maid, face down in a pillow, dead as
“Dangerous Dan McGrew.” No one expected that Vincent
ALL WALLENDA PHOTOS © MATT GOINS
NY Post. The Post had taken some cheap shots, Tony
thought, in their “Page Six” gossip column, referring to his
hot-tempered son and precocious daughter as Tigeroo and
the Hepcat. Then there was the fabled headline that read
“Holidaze: the Godfather meets Dr. Freud” detailing a clandestine
encounter between Tony and a certain prominent,
attractive Manhattan-based psychotherapist in Rockefeller
Center last Christmas. “It’s enough to turn a guy into a
monk” Tony lamented.
They soon turned to the business at hand, their joint
effort in targeting Gendarme on racketeering charges. As
usual, the two men struck a deal rather quickly and then
resumed their customary banter. “You better not screw up
this assignment, Dukinfield, because rumor has it that if you
do, Headquarters plans to transfer your office to Antarctica,
right alongside that statue of Admiral Bird.”
Chester replied “And you better pray to St. Augustus
that I stay here forever. You and your boys need me.” The
two then turned and walked in opposite directions, atoned
for the moment. At times they connected almost zenfully.
From totally different worlds, they nonetheless had certain
shared interests and bonds. As Chester had often said
“Such strange partners and winged warriors we, bound by
a few common interests.” One of those intangible bonds
was a love of horses.
Before getting into his vehicle, Chester turned once more
and waved back at Tony. “Hey, the Breeders’ Cup will be right
in your backyard this year… in Monmouth… any early
picks?” Sal stopped now, too.
“Well, I don’t know about the Classic. But you know, if
they were to offer that futures betting… you know, like they
do for the Derby, then I’d put a bunch on Drum Major in the
NetJets Mile. He’s had his share of problems, but he just
might be ready for his song of songs.”
“Are you crazy! Dogwood’s already had their year with
Cotton Blossom,” Chester replied.
Partly amused and partly agitated, Tony quickly retorted:
“You know Chester, you may have elite status with the Feds,
but you don’t know a goddamn thing about horses!”
Onthisparticularoccasion,Chester,havingjustmoments
earlier gotten precisely the deal he needed from Tony, decided
to eat a little humble pie, giving Tony the last word. “Maybe
not” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe not.”
7

Cot, Garrett Gomez, Anne, and “Coach” Todd
Pletcher before the popular basketball
fundraiser at Saratoga – the jockeys versus the
fifth grade basketball team, the Texas Titans.
It was one of the most anticipated events
of the Saratoga meet – theAugust 9 match-up
between the nationally ranked Texas Titans, a
fifth-grade boy’s basketball team from Dallas,
and members of the local jockey colony.
The jockeys were sponsored by and outfitted
in the colors of prominent owners – with Garrett
Gomez sporting the Dogwood Stable
“silks.” The event was a New York Race
Track Chaplaincy fundraiser for Andrew
Lakeman, a jockey who was paralyzed in a
racing accident at Belmont Park in May.
The morning line odds definitely favored
Editor’s Note: Here is the August 22 news
release from The Jockey Club:
Campbell & Bell
Elected Members of
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club today
announced the election of two new members:
James G. “Jimmy” Bell and W. Cothran
“Cot” Campbell.
Bell is president of Darley USA in Lexington,
KY, and serves on the boards of Keeneland
Association, the Thoroughbred Owners and
Breeders Association and Thoroughbred
Charities of America. He also serves as vice
president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred
Owners and Breeders and is a member of the
Sales Integrity Task Force.
Campbell is the founder and president of
Aiken, SC-based Dogwood Stable and widely
considered the pioneer of limited partnerships
for owners in Thoroughbred racing. He
is a trustee of the National Museum of Racing
Hall of Fame and a member of the executive
committee of the board of trustees. He previously
served as chairman of the Sales
Integrity Task Force and has authored several
books about horse racing.
The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated
to the improvement of Thoroughbred
breeding and racing, is the breed registry for
North American Thoroughbreds. The Jockey
Club fulfills that longstanding commitment by
serving the industry through its family of companies
and by providing support and leadership
on a wide range of important industry initiatives.
Editor’s Notebook
the fifth graders, who stepped onto the court
at Saratoga Springs High School with a record
of 105 wins to three losses.The riders, however,
were primed for an upset. “Coach” Todd
Pletcher had the jockeys “on the muscle” and
they were off to an early lead thanks to the
aggressiveness and razzle-dazzle of Eibar
Coa, Kent Desormeaux, Herberto Castillo, Jr.,
et al. The jockeys continued to set the pace,
held on to a narrow lead, and “hit the wire” in
front – with a final score of 44-36.
* * *
Former Major League Baseball pitcher,
broadcaster, and racing fan Jim Kaat swung
through Aiken this summer and stopped by
the Dogwood office and barn for a visit. Kaat
had met Cot several years ago in Saratoga
and had an open invitation to stop by whenever
he was in the area. Kaat, who won 283
games and 16
Gold Gloves for
his fielding
exploits, led the
A m e r i c a n
League in victories
in 1966 with
25 wins, and
was three-time
All-Star in 1962,
1966 and 1975.
Kaat fielded
countless questions
from the
Dogwood staff,
but we learned
that the highlight
of his career was
being a part of
the 1982 World
Series Championship
team (St.
Louis Cardinals).
Jack Sadler (Dogwood’s VP who has an unbelievable
memory for baseball statistics) just
“happened” to have some new baseballs in his
office, so everyone got a signed memento
from the big man’s (6’5”) visit.
* * *
It’s just been a baseball summer here in
Aiken. Right around the time of Jim Kaat’s
visit, Cot was asked to throw out the first
pitch at the game between the Aiken Foxhounds
and the Charlotte County Redfish.
DOGWOOD
STABLE, INC.
Pitching great Jim Kaat, a 16-time winner of
baseball’s Golden Glove award, and friend at
the Dogwood office.
The Foxhounds play in the South Coast
League and are enjoying their first year in
Aiken. Sporting his Dogwood Stable cap,
Campbell sauntered to the mound, warmed
up, spat some tobacco juice (just kidding!),
and threw out a
powerful knuckleball
(which
bounced six feet
short of the
plate!).
Rumor has it
that Cot was
wearing his official
Babe Ruth
Underwear, purchased
from a
Sotheby’s sports
memorabilia
auction. We
should quickly
state that these
1925 undergarments
were not
actually worn by
The Bambino,
but were one of
the many items
he endorsed at the height of his fame.
* * *
It’s no secret that Dogwood’s boss
“adores” Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant on
Miami Beach. Josephine Abercrombie and
the folks at Pin Oak Stud must have known
this when they sent Cot a present after Cotton
Blossom’s G1 win in the Acorn S. (they
stand her sire Broken Vow). A box arrived at
our office a few days after the filly’s victory.
Inside: one of Joe’s famous key lime pies.
Cot Campbell gets some last minute instructions before
throwing out the first pitch at an Aiken Foxhounds game.
W. Cothran Campbell, President
Mary Jane Howell, Newsletter Editor
Address: Post Office Box 1549
Aiken, South Carolina 29802
Tel: (803) 642-2972 Fax: (803) 642-2747
E-mail: office@dogwoodstable.com
Internet address: http://www.dogwoodstable.com