BC results !?

I hope the dirt specialists whose owners and trainers aren't pussies win every main track race except the Classic, where Zenyatta runs by them all ........................................

New thoughts on plastic tracks

Editorial

This is one of the strongest editorials I have seen in a long time! Thank you very much Jeremy Plonk. It quite simply discusses the effect that synthetic surfaces have had on the outcome of all Breeder's Cup Races and I think the numbers speak for themselves! I post it because I think it is an important read. It reminds me how short term people are. We are really basing everything we know about Breeder's Cup races on Synthetic surfaces on the extremely myopic bias of ONE year of statistics?

This truly uncovers how moronic it is to listen to Jess Jackson's rhetoric when it comes to a personal decision of his. I believe he is certainly within his right to have his Opinion on "plastic tracks", but instead of being a OWNER!! and choosing where his horses go on his own professional and fiscal opinions, he lets the industry's "bad choices" (completely negatable as so far) be the reason a non-california based horse doesn't want to run in california. Home track bias has always existed buddy, the numbers are there! You are not the first East Coast based trainer to not want to run in SoCal, and you won't be the last.

So public ... quit agreeing with him and form some actual opinions of your own!

I, for one, have no preference one way or the other except my most profitable betting in recent memory seems to be at Hollywood Park's summer meet over the "plastic". You don't hear me trashing dirt tracks because it's not what "works" for me. Get some balls Jess Jackson (and any of his drones) ... and get your head out of your ass!

Breeder's Cup excitement!

I am really happy Breeder's Cup is so near!

I am also really happy to know that I am the kind of awesome horse racing fan (self diagnosed of course) that can still look forward to the premier horse racing event of the year! I am also proud of the kind of horse racing fan I am not:

I am not the kind of fan that thinks I am smarter than owners/trainers/breeders/track officials/stewards/jockeys.

I am not the kind of fan that bitches about a "star" not being there. Rachel ... it's okay, you deserve the rest, anyway.

I am not the kind of fan that blames the Moss family for keeping Zenyatta "safe" because they kept her at home.

I am not the kind of fan that blames Zenyatta for her fields coming up short. I instead choose to point the finger at the owners and trainers of her competition that didn't want to race against her. But ... really ... can you blame them?

I am not the kind of fan that listens to anyone on the East Coast talk about racing on the West Coast nor anyone on the West Coast talk about racing on the East Coast.

I am not the kind of fan that wraps up horse of the year in the summertime.

I am not the kind of fan that bitches about much else than people bitching.

with all the integrety in the world ...

Does tennis try and get motorcross fans? Does Football try and get Nascar fans? The answer to both of these questions is "no". Tennis doesn't care about motocross fans (or want them much less) and football already has the Nascar fans. Horse racing is not football or golf and will never have the mass appeal. I recently contemplated why I care so much about everyone loving horseracing and me not giving a damn about the sustainability of frisbee golf. The answer is because I am selfish. If Horse racing implodes I will be bored.

The problem with Horse Racing is that it has been the star sport within the last 100 years. And just like the way of the huge boxing matches, it has become a niche sport. We know it has the potential to captivate America, but we don't know how to get back out of the hole we dug ourselves into. Here is the real question though, do we even want to?

I know we want their money, but do we want them? Most people engage themselves when it's Kentucky Derby time, but the Breeder's Cup eludes them even though it is on their major Networks. They are probably watching "Flip This House" on a Saturday afternoon instead of race after race of top class and beauty (not to mention incredible money making potential). We need to acknowledge that they don't actually like the horses in the KD, just the stories and the starpower. They have been told the KD is a big deal and their celebrity icons have told them it is a big deal by attending or watching.

Man, I would really love it if I could go to the Kentucky Derby and not have to wait in line behind 20 a**holes trying to figure out how to read a sign, make a bet, and not spill another beer on me. Are these so-called "fans" really adding to the sport? The only thing they do for me is add to the betting pools ... slowly and awkwardly ... so I REALLY want them to do that from home.

So really the angle is simple: get the internet betting community to get more involved with the ponies, and let their own involvement with the sport bring them to the track or not. If they develop the love that I have, I'll be waiting with a welcoming parade trackside. I herald the idea of everyone in America tuning in for the Travers, betting loosely, and adding to my winnings, but I don't look forward to GA tickets for the event to top $80 because NTRA finally learned how to market successfully!

I like my days at the track most every day I go. If I lived in NY I would go much more, because of the quality of horses and fans. I don't want the Dallas Cowboys crowd at my horse track and I don't want to go get thrown up on at a Cowboys game either. Horse Racing is my sport goddamnit ... and anyone else's too ... as long as you agree with me.

Past The Point

I am going to call it early .. Past the Point in the Woodward.

training well.

training well.

training ... very well.

This horse is ready to run his race ... again ...

something that will forever stand out in my mind is RA's 4Furlong work in 46 and change ... I thought that was going to wear her out before the Kentucky Oaks. Obviously, I was wrong. RA is a beast of a horse and I give it to her that she is capable of winning this race ... ... ... as long as everything goes HER way. But c'mon ... this is her biggest chance to bounce. She doesn't wear out like normal horses do, but this will be her toughest competition yet and someone, please, agree with me that it is her race to lose.

Darley knows what they are doing, especially at Saratoga. i hope I get him around 7-1.

Mine That Bird's big ball (just one)

http://saratogainsider.blogspot.com/2009/08/bird-ball.html

This gave me some serious sentimental attachment to MTB, of which I have never had before. I wish it didn't have to be Borel on the mount, that guy's a big baby.

Some light handicapping before bedtime.

So I was taking a look at the Sword Dancer for tomorrow afternoon. I personally think this is a fairly easy race to handicap given the amount of ... one hit per year wonders. There are several of these in this race, and sure they hit their good trips every once in a while; but I can't put money on unpredictability. If any of them hit I won't feel bad for missing that accidental race where they freaked with their old form. The horses I find most interesting are Musketier, Quijano, and Americain.

First off, Musketier looks to be the only speed in this race and if he can get out with a slow pace he will be easily set up to wire the field.

The 8 horse Quijano seems like a solid bet based on what seems to be his owner's intentions. Last year he was brought over and raced in September, came in 2nd and put in another grade 1, likely pointed toward the BC until he came in 9th. He went back across the pond with decent form since then, then came up with a 3rd in the Manowar. If that Grade 1 could serve as a prep for this one he will be again on route toward Santa Anita. Hopefully he doesn't disappoint and bounce from his US tour like he did last year .... (crossing fingers .... no, really ...)

And Americain: the real reason to bet this guy is his ability to run in the money. I think he has every reason to not fall any farther from 4-5 lengths from the front; and I love the fact that the betting public is generally confused by foreign horses ... maybe it's the accent ... practically guaranteeing he will be at higher odds than he deserves.

Plus Pletcher is hitting 23% with his shippers ... I'll take that, thank you.

So i think these 3 come in 1-2-3.

Lauro is my only other concern, but I'm too unsure about what to do with him to acknowledge him as anything else but that.