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Trainer has his best horse in Preakness at 85

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Racing Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) — Manny Azpurua could be retired, enjoying the South Florida sunshine. He could walk away from training, secure in his success back in Venezuela, where he won more than 3,500 races before coming to the United States 35 years ago.

Few would begrudge him wanting an escape from the rigors of the racetrack — the pre-dawn wakeup calls, the physical labor, the constant worry about his horses.

Except that Azpurua is training the best horse of his life, at age 85. Heck, there’s no way he wants to call it quits now. Not when he has Social Inclusion, a precocious colt with just three career races under his belt but a wealth of talent.

Social Inclusion won his first start by 7½ lengths. In his second race, he won by 10 lengths and broke a track record at Florida’s Gulfstream Park. Then he finished third in the Wood Memorial, aced out for second by a nose. As a result, he came up short on the points list that determined the 20 horses who qualified for the Kentucky Derby.

So Azpurua and his horse waited for the Preakness, where Derby winner and overwhelming favorite California Chrome will try to keep alive a bid for the Triple Crown with a victory on Saturday.

Social Inclusion is the solid 5-1 second choice in the 10-horse field.

A victory would make Azpurua the oldest trainer to saddle a Preakness winner, coming just two weeks after 77-year-old Art Sherman became the oldest to train a Derby winner in California Chrome.

“Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons was 82 years, 10 months when he won the 1957 Preakness with Bold Ruler.

“Every race is the same,” Azpurua said Thursday in a soft voice. “The only thing different is the name.”

If Social Inclusion is an inexperienced as Azpurua is wise, the trainer’s faith in his horse remains solid.

“I love this horse,” he said. “He’s doing everything and I’m pleased about it. I expect a lot out of him.”

Social Inclusion will have a lot of support in Venezuela, where, like Azpurua, owner Ron Sanchez is from.

“I’d say two or three million people will watch the race,” Sanchez said.

Azpurua’s passion for training is evident in his emotion. His eyes watered and he paused to collect himself before saying, “I love this business. I love the horses.”

He moves slowly around the barn, and in a rare concession to his age rides a golf cart over to the track to watch his horse train.

Sanchez appreciates Azpurua’s dedication and passion, and describes their relationship as being like father and son.

“I feel a lot of respect for him. He was a national hero for horse racing fans in Venezuela,” Sanchez said. “The more I know him the more I want to learn from him. He’s my man and we’re going to make it. It’s a dream for both of us.”

After Social Inclusion’s second start at Gulfstream, where he blew away the field, Sanchez began fielding offers for the colt. And the prices prospective buyers were willing to pay got bigger.

Sanchez turned them all down.

“I didn’t sell the horse because they wanted to take it away from him,” he said, his right hand resting lightly on Azpurua’s shoulder. “Loyalty is a big word and I’m a loyalty guy. We’re still going to keep together.”

Social Inclusion jogged and galloped on Thursday at Pimlico in preparation for the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.

“The way he’s galloping, he show me he likes the track,” Azpurua said. “I expect the best for him and for us.”

Unlike Azpurua, Sanchez has been to the Preakness once before. He was part of the infield madness in 1996, cheering for Skip Away only to have Louis Quatorze lead all the way in winning.

Sanchez is more than willing to brave the chaos with Azpurua in tow if their horse wins on Saturday.

“I believe this horse is something,” Azpurua said. “That’s the reason we are here.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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