Derby Trail Forums

Derby Trail Forums (http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/index.php)
-   The Charles Hatton Reading Room (http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11)
-   -   Bobby Frankel, 1941-2009 (http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32804)

booner 11-16-2009 02:21 PM

RIP Mr. Frankel. My condolences to his family and friends.

dellinger63 11-16-2009 02:23 PM

He'll be missed for sure!!! RIP and condolences to his family and many friends including Steve B.

brockguy 11-16-2009 02:42 PM

I liked him a lot. RIP

dylbert 11-16-2009 03:28 PM

Deepest sympathies to the Frankel family & his friends.

Round Pen 11-16-2009 03:38 PM

God Bless You Bobby thanks for all the Wonderful memories

geeker2 11-16-2009 03:41 PM

RIP Bobby :tro: :tro: :tro:

ArlJim78 11-16-2009 03:58 PM

damn that's too bad. A great trainer he was.

Hickory Hill Hoff 11-16-2009 03:58 PM

Just found out.....RIP Bobby :(

hoovesupsideyourhead 11-16-2009 04:15 PM

rip bobby f had the pleasure of meeting him at steves bbq in 06.. he loved the smoked meat sand..great trainer.

prudery 11-16-2009 04:35 PM

Ah Bobby Frankel-- a true character and a lover of the horse as well as a great horseman--even in his last thoughts to give to equine charities in lieu of flowers ...

I have a personal connection with Bobby that will live on unfadingly ...

I was the odd schoolgirl not simply horse crazy, but racing crazy, and as soon as I was of age and allowed to work, my best friend and I sought jobs at the track ...

Women--or girls in our case--were rare at the track then and given short shrift ... You had to prove yourself daily ...

Neither one of us grew up riding or even around horses, but Frankel hired us as a team--the entry ...

He made you work, but if he saw you had a feel and love for horses, his gruff side got toned down ...

He was at Aqueduct then--the low rent district--with a barn full of claimers, yet they all were treated as individuals and with great care ...

A favorite was an old grey gelding stakes horse, Baitman, who thought he was two, blasting around the shedrow dragging his handlers ... Because he was not really a mean horse and a good breadwinner, Bobby never allowed any more than mild corrections with the horse ...

When we showed up, we always got Baitman to hotwalk, because the male workers could get frustrated with him, and we didn't---Frankel got a kick out of that ...

My favorite memory of Bobby however was not at the track ..,.

My friend and I took night art classes during this period and afterwards hitchiked home so we could eavesdrop at the apartment of a certain gentleman jockey who lived off Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills ...

We were such regulars with our thumbs out, that we had repeat rides---Burt another night schooler who drove a 1940s Packard, and Hydee the taxi driver who made us stand up in the cab so the meter wouldn't register ..,.

One night we were long on the side of the ride when a Cadillac signalled to pull over--at last a ride and a fancy one ... But suddenly there was a huge crash--the car behind plowed into the rear of the Caddy ...

Out popped the driver---it was Bobby Frankel who saw his hotwalkers hitchiking in all their hippy glory ...

He turned his head to see if the driver behind would stay put ... " Get in the car ", he said, but we knew--as New Yorkers--what was coming ...

" Get in the car " he repeated, still calm ... Then out came his arm, finger pointing at the driver behind, and the inevitable insults and expletives burst forth ...

We didn't know whether to laugh or not, because the juxtaposition of words and reactions were such theatre .

One more time he ordered us into in the car calmly, had a few more words for the driver cowering behind, surveyed the unwanted sculpture on the Caddy's rear fender, waved the other driver on, and drove off with us ...

He took us to Far Rockaway to his parents house--where I believe he still lived--and had us in to meet the folks for a schmooz and a snack, and drove us home .

Sort of surreal ..

I saw him two years ago with a woman at Saratoga and we looked at each other with recognition ... Now I am sorry I did not speak to him ...

He was truly one of racing's good guys with a real love for the horse as a sentient being, not just a racehorse or a money maker .,..

Godspeed Bobby ...

freddymo 11-16-2009 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prudery
Ah Bobby Frankel-- a true character and a lover of the horse as well as a great horseman--even in his last thoughts to give to equine charities in lieu of flowers ...

I have a personal connection with Bobby that will live on unfadingly ...

I was the odd schoolgirl not simply horse crazy, but racing crazy, and as soon as I was of age and allowed to work, my best friend and I sought jobs at the track ...

Women--or girls in our case--were rare at the track then and given short shrift ... You had to prove yourself daily ...

Neither one of us grew up riding or even around horses, but Frankel hired us as a team--the entry ...

He made you work, but if he saw you had a feel and love for horses, his gruff side got toned down ...

He was at Aqueduct then--the low rent district--with a barn full of claimers, yet they all were treated as individuals and with great care ...

A favorite was an old grey gelding stakes horse, Baitman, who thought he was two, blasting around the shedrow dragging his handlers ... Because he was not really a mean horse and a good breadwinner, Bobby never allowed any more than mild corrections with the horse ...

When we showed up, we always got Baitman to hotwalk, because the male workers could get frustrated with him, and we didn't---Frankel got a kick out of that ...

My favorite memory of Bobby however was not at the track ..,.

My friend and I took night art classes during this period and afterwards hitchiked home so we could eavesdrop at the apartment of a certain gentleman jockey who lived off Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills ...

We were such regulars with our thumbs out, that we had repeat rides---Burt another night schooler who drove a 1940s Packard, and Hydee the taxi driver who made us stand up in the cab so the meter wouldn't register ..,.

One night we were long on the side of the ride when a Cadillac signalled to pull over--at last a ride and a fancy one ... But suddenly there was a huge crash--the car behind plowed into the rear of the Caddy ...

Out popped the driver---it was Bobby Frankel who saw his hotwalkers hitchiking in all their hippy glory ...

He turned his head to see if the driver behind would stay put ... " Get in the car ", he said, but we knew--as New Yorkers--what was coming ...

" Get in the car " he repeated, still calm ... Then out came his arm, finger pointing at the driver behind, and the inevitable insults and expletives burst forth ...

We didn't know whether to laugh or not, because the juxtaposition of words and reactions were such theatre .

One more time he ordered us into in the car calmly, had a few more words for the driver cowering behind, surveyed the unwanted sculpture on the Caddy's rear fender, waved the other driver on, and drove off with us ...

He took us to Far Rockaway to his parents house--where I believe he still lived--and had us in to meet the folks for a schmooz and a snack, and drove us home .

Sort of surreal ..

I saw him two years ago with a woman at Saratoga and we looked at each other with recognition ... Now I am sorry I did not speak to him ...

He was truly one of racing's good guys with a real love for the horse as a sentient being, not just a racehorse or a money maker .,..

Godspeed Bobby ...


Very sweet...Congrats you served yourself well!

prudery 11-16-2009 05:37 PM

Twas for Bobby--a mensch ...

The Devil 11-16-2009 05:43 PM

R.I.P. Bobby

ateamstupid 11-16-2009 05:58 PM

Very sad. As a younger racing fan, he was the trainer in my formative years. RIP Bobby.

dagolfer33 11-16-2009 06:07 PM

Very sad news. Condolences to Steve and all who were close to him. RIP

SkinnyKid 11-16-2009 06:13 PM

R.I.P Mr. Frankel My condolences to his family and friends.

pdrift1 11-16-2009 06:21 PM

God Bless And R.I.P Bobby :(

free25 11-16-2009 07:00 PM

RIP Bobby!!! Our game will miss you for sure...

Zaf 11-16-2009 07:05 PM

Very Sad. RIP Bobby.

declansharbor 11-16-2009 07:11 PM

Sad news indeed. May his legacy live on! R I P

chucklestheclown 11-16-2009 07:15 PM

Many of us would not love racing the way we do today if not for Bobby Frankel and his contemporaries. R.I.P.

Pedigree Ann 11-16-2009 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckpasser
Remembrances:I remember when Bobby Frankel was a trainer at Aqueduct, before he moved out west, probably some time in the early 1970's and he had a horse named Dagger Counter, a speed ball who would do 1:10 for 6F. He won a $7,500 Allowance and paid something like $8.00, and Frankel followed that with a $15,000 Allowance in which Dagger Counter came in 7th by 4 lengths. Because the Morning Telegraph did not at that time list the dollar amounts of an Allowance Race, only what type of race it was, Bobby dropped Dagger Counter back in an $7,500 Allowance at odds of 8-1. The horse won easily. Bobby must have been laughing all the way to the bank. BTW I bet him and had a big smile on my face.

RIP Bobby - we will all miss you - You were good for the game.

I remember when he was at that stage, considered one of the canniest claiming trainers in the business. Many expressed doubt that he could make the jump up to training better, elite-type stakes horses when he started upgrading his stable. He sure showed them.

mclem0822 11-16-2009 07:54 PM

Very sad news.....
 
One of the greats of all time. RIP

HaloWishingwell 11-16-2009 08:00 PM

My first memories was his handling of MARQUETRY during those point system series for older horses. In between there were many others but I'm happy he got to experience the thrills of GHOSTZAPPER.

DaTruth 11-16-2009 10:05 PM

Racing lost a true giant of the game today.

Rupert Pupkin 11-17-2009 12:27 AM

He will definitely go down as one of the all-time greats. He truly had a gift. His instincts were second to none. He will be missed.

pointman 11-17-2009 08:18 AM

Just saw this, very sad news. RIP Bobby.

MisterB 11-17-2009 02:15 PM

Steve B and friends did a great job. Steve and Steve where awesome. Thanks for the great stories. I am so sad this had to happen, you people have lifted my spirits.

Thx
mb

Left Bank 11-17-2009 03:47 PM

When they name a race after him,I hope it's a good one,maybe on the grass for fillies and mares,G-1

Coach Pants 11-17-2009 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Left Bank
When they name a race after him,I hope it's a good one,maybe on the grass for fillies and mares,G-1

And it would only be fitting if the whole field scratched. At least for the inaugural.

Merlinsky 11-17-2009 07:35 PM

I only just now heard about it. This is so sad. I was hoping somehow we'd get to see him again. Sure it's great seeing things like Zenyatta's Classic win but having Bobby back healthy this year would've been a real highlight to me and I bet we all thought we could will it into happening. My sympathies to his family. I hope Bethenny's feeling ok. This must be a terrible strain.

asiarush 11-17-2009 08:13 PM

It was nice to meet you Bobby

dellinger63 11-17-2009 10:29 PM

What a photo


Rupert Pupkin 11-18-2009 12:57 AM

Here is a great picture of Bobby and Ginger Punch:

http://drf.com/images/Frankel_111809.pdf

By the way, some of those statistics are incredible.

docicu3 11-18-2009 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin
Here is a great picture of Bobby and Ginger Punch:

http://drf.com/images/Frankel_111809.pdf

By the way, some of those statistics are incredible.

I've been reading his history these last couple days for obvious reasons but am stunned by how a guy goes from the grandstand to the inner world of the backstretch with what appears to be nothing but his own will. How does that happen in this game? Amazing stuff....

pick4 11-18-2009 03:30 PM

I was sad to hear that Bobby Frankel fought leukemia and passed away because of the disease. I've seen a close friend who passed away from the same illness and he was 24.

Frankel came across as a curmudgeon. However when you look at how his hired help were loyal to him and worked for him for years makes me realize he was a pretty good man. I think the tributes by fellow horsemen, jockeys, and racing writers validates that he was a good guy.

RIP Mr. Frankel

Sightseek 11-18-2009 09:08 PM

Old Friends is opening a satelite farm outside of Saratoga Springs that will be open to the public, it will be called:

Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division and will feature a Frankel tribute.

chucklestheclown 11-18-2009 11:59 PM

HRTV is having a special Sunday night.

Stickhorse 11-21-2009 08:28 AM

My favorite eulogy
http://www.racehorsereport.com/


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:45 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.