Eating Crow

This weekend, I went with several friends to a Brazilian steakhouse and was visited time and again by waiters carrying steaming skewers full of various and sundry meats. Little did I know that crow was on the menu. Towards the end of the protein filled evening, I mentioned that I had several horses running that afternoon and that I would like to know how the Gotham had gone. This prompted one of my friends to whip out his brand spankin' new iPod touch and link up to the internet. It was thus I got the majority of my racing news for the weekend.

El Camino Real Derby

I start with this race not because I was particularly impressed with the finish, and not because I think the winner has any real chance at the Derby this year, but becuase I am forced by the outcome to make an apology. Autism Awareness, I apologize for making fun of your name. Mind you, I still don't think it's a terribly good name, nor do I think it's a particularly good way to raise awareness of autism, but what can I say? Paying $126 to win, Autism Awareness (Tannersmyman) came in first a length and a half in front of Nikki'sgoldensteed (who was apparently jumping shadows on the curve and having trouble settling down), with Tres Borrachos in third. I realized I should start posting my picks from earlier in the week with how the horses actually finished up:

1. Nikki'sgoldentsteed- 2nd
2. Coast Guard- Waaaay back
3. Tres Borrachos- 3rd

And in case you were wondering, Autism Awareness has a full sister named Cure Autism.

Gotham Stakes

And in another embarrasing performance of handicapping, we have the Gotham. In weather so foggy that most of the race could not be seen, and over a sloppy track, Visionaire (Grand Slam) came home to nose out Texas Wildcatter in the final strides. Now, I know what you're thinking. How can you complain when one of your stable horses won? Well, that's because I had three (yes 3!) horses in the race. Where were my other 2 horses? My New York specialists? The only comfort I have is that the off track might have affected their chances (goodness, I hope that's what was wrong). Apparently, Visionaire is heading back to Florida to train, but given Michael Matz's clearly ingenious move to slip his prime Derby prospect out of Pyro-land, he's likely to return to NY to race in the Wood Memorial (g.I). Saratoga Russell set nice fractions even given the slop, and will hopefully be put back into some sprints where he can shine.

1. Giant Moon- Last
2. Visionaire- First
3. Roman Emperor- 4th
4. Texas Wildcatter- 2nd
Photo: Coglianese Photos


Fair Ground Oaks

Next on the list is the Fair Ground Oaks (g.II), and would you believe it, I called the trifecta! Which is, of course, a terribly difficult thing to do in a field of four. However, I was 100%, absolutely, without a doubt wrong about Indian Blessing winning it. The poor girl had to taste defeat for the first time in her life, and to her long time rival Proud Spell (Proud Citizen-Pacific Spell, by Langfur). Bob Baffert, of course, knew his filly had it in her all along. Indian Blessing, apparently, failed to rate on the backstretch and fought her rider, tiring herself out before the end. Guess she's still got some learnin' to do.

1. Indian Blessing- 2nd
2. Proud Spell- 1st
3. Acacia- 3rd

Duncan F. Kenner Stakes

Surprising pretty much no one (except those who purposely didn't pick him because they thought they were already backing too many favorites as it was), Euroears won the Duncan F. Kenner. Mind you, I can't seem to find much other info on it. Oh, and is Euroears supposed to be a Disneyland Paris reference of some sort? It is kind of a funny name.

New Orleans Handicap

And rounding out the field of bad weekend picks, Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) stalked the pace, circled 3-wide, and fought Grasshopper to a place in the stretch. I never liked Circular Quay much. I still don't. Especially now that he's made such a fool out of me. None (none!) of my horses were even in the money. Even the game old Brass Hat was "never a factor", coming in 4th.

Louisiana Derby

Finally, I did something right. But it's not all about me. In fact, it's not about me at all. It's about the horses, and in this case one horse in particular. That horse being Pyro. Pyro who had a bunch of people questioning whether his last to first Risen Star finish was just a fluke. People questioning whether the slow pace of that former race had just made everything too easy and set him up for a perfect trip. People whose questions have now, hopefully, been answered.

Pyro (Pulpit-Wild Vision, by Wild Again) is for real.

I had to watch the replay as soon as I heard abut the outcome, so I took over my friend's computer. The early fractions were (to my mind anyways) still slow, set by My Pal Charlie (Indian Charlie), who aquitted himself well in his first stakes race. Instead of placing himself dead last, as previously, Pyro arranged himself comfortably in mid-pack. He then looked to be almost caught behind horses in the early stretch, but managed to find a hole and plow through it. He won by 3 lengths...certainly not winning with a Curlin sense of easyness, but making a statement nonetheless. Yankee Bravo proved that he can switch to real dirt and that he has some class. As I'm now allowed to add three new horses to my RTTR stable, he's got himself a stall.

1. Pyro- 1st
2. Yankee Bravo- 3rd
3. My Pal Charlie- 2nd

There is, however, one question remaining, and it's one we'll all likely be pondering until the first Saturday in May. Who's the better horse, War Pass or Pyro? Will War Pass tire out at the longer distances? Will Pyro be able to spring a patented come from behind, field looping move to catch up to the blazing speedster? Will, as is equally likely at this point, they both end up with metaphorical egg (and non-metaphorical mud) on their faces as some other talented colt leaves them in his tracks. I, for one, am on pins and needles.

Oh, and here's a funny story. So, after I hijacked my friends' computer and forced them to watch this race they asked me how much I had won. I blinked at them. What, me put money down? Where? With what time? Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm against gambling, I just don't myself care all that much for the betting. To me it's all about the horses. So, I checked out the stats for this race and noted that, had I actually taken the time out to place a $6 boxed trifecta bet at some off-track betting spot, I would have brought home $250. Everyone encouraged me to actually put my money where my mouth was. I'm still skeptical (see above horrid failures).

Photo: Alexander Barkoff

Mervyn Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap

Hah! I called Proudinsky (Slivano-Proudeyes, by Dashing Blade) in this one too. Thus have I redeemed myself with older males on turf (okay, not really).

In other news

- Hystericalady (Distorted Humor-Sacramentada, by Northair.), who I've been a fan of ever since last year when she posted a blazing work that made me blink and question whether I was seeing things, won the Azeri Stakes. It was her first win in a while, and her first time on dirt for a while. One might hope her connections would keep her there.