OMG PWNIES!!!!!

Hansen, who goes into this weekend's Blue Grass Stakes as the favorite has much is his favor to discuss, but first we'll focus on his most notable attraction...his color.

Hansen (Tapit x Stormy Sunday by Sir Cat)

The color "grey" is not uncommon among thoroughbreds. It results when a horse develops white colored hairs over dark colored skin. Although it was once though to be a "weak"color and indicative of a horse's poor health or abilty as a runner, we now know that a grey horse has no more health problems than one of any other color (except a strong tendency towards melanoma, for obvious reasons). Still, grey racehorses are usually actually grey in color (often with dark dapples throughout their coats), and do not attain the lighter patina that might be described as "white" until they are older. Hansen does not fit this pattern.

Hansen at 2.

He's a bloody magic carousel horse, and the dream of every horse loving girl in America.

As if he wasn't flashy enough by himself, his owner (also named Hansen) is a very flashy kind of guy. He doesn't fit the mold of a traditional horse owner, and makes for excellent interview material. But let's stop with the petty info and get down to the real question of what kind of racehorse he is.

Not too shabby, as it turns out.

Hansen is the reigning juvenile champion of 2011. He got this title after winning his first two races very impressively, and following them up with a nose win over Union Rags in the ever important Breeder's Cup Juvenile. Those three races were enough to crown him champion, but not enough to convince most folks that he could make the mile and a quarter Derby distance. His running style was very much a "go to the front and never look back hell bent for leather" kind of style, which tends not to bode well for longer distances. His defeat of Union Rags appeared to be at least partly luck, for if the latter had not swerved crazily in the stretch, he probably would have caught the white wonder.

Hansen started out this season with a loss that confirmed the suspicions of some, but did not detract from his supporters, who expected a bit of a "bounce" off his long layoff. He improved in his next start, winning the Gotham Stakes and proving, in doing so, that he could rate (meaning that he could allow other horses in front of him a bit and save some of his speed for the end of the race). Now he heads back to his Bluegrass home to see if some horse (any horse) can keep the Derby favorite spot for more than a week.

From a pedigree perspective, Hansen is by one of the hotest up and coming sires around (and the progenitor of a whole bunch of grey colored stakes winners). Tapit is a good sire for distance horses and is proving himself to be the best sire son of Pulpit, who was himself probably the best sire son of A.P. Indy. All good distance horses. His mother's side leaves a bit to be desired. His dam is a daughter of Sir Cat, who is a second rate son of Storm Cat, and her female family is even more questionable.

Whether or not Hansen wins on Derby day is something one can only guess at today. However, its clear that, of all the horses currently pointing towards the starting gate, he'd look the prettiest in a horseshoe of roses.

He's just so damn adorable!!

A Horse with a Cause

Since at least one person has expressed continued interest in this blog (although they're probably the only one), I'll soldier on.

Creative Cause (by Giant's Causeway, out of Dream of Summer by Siberian Summer)

Today Creative Cause shall attempt to prove that he is the "best of the west", taking on a challenging field in the Santa Anita Derby. If he wins, it might be enough (in the minds of many horseplayers) to skyrocket him to the coveted favorite position amongst Derby hopefuls. Although many still believe that Union Rags (who I profiled before, and who recently finished a disappointing third in the Florida Derby) is the cream of the crop, no one can argue that Creative Cause is not far behind.

After starting off to an impressive 2-year old season, Creative Cause came up a creditable (but somewhat distant) third to Union Rags and Hansen in the Breeder's Cup juvenile. He's managed to duck those two monsters since then, but otherwise has not failed to impress in his stakes efforts. In his first start of the season he again finished third in the San Vicente stakes. This somewhat surprising loss was quickly followed up by a fairly comfortable win in the San Felipe. I say fairly comfortable, because he did not blow the competition away, and had the well regarded Bodemiester breathing down his neck through the stretch. How he performs today will have much to say for him (and possibly his competition) in the upcoming Derby.

Creative Cause is by Giant's Causeway, one son of Storm Cat that proved he was a route horse through and through. After being a European horse of the year, he finished a close second to Tiznow in that horse's first of two consecutive Breeder's Cup Classic wins. Creative Cause's female family is also replete with horses that could go the one and a quarter mile Derby distance. As such, no one is questioning his ability to run all day, if necessary.

One thing that is odd, is his connections' decision to run him today for the first time without blinkers. Those are what we call the face-mask with the eye cups you can see him wearing in the picture above. They're usually intended to keep horses that spook at things such as shadows andother horses coming up close to them with their mind on their business (that being running on the track in front of them). They can also help a horse that needs a little encouragement to keep a sharp turn of foot (meaning quickness). To switch tactics this late in the game could mean that his trainer doesn't think he needs the focusing help that blinkers supply anymore. Or it could mean that he's been showing a bit too much speed in practice, and they want him to learn to rate (meaning to harbor his strength early on) better. Whichever is the reason, any time you introduce something new to a horse is a chance for them to freak out about it and not perform to their best level (horses, as a species, do not prize novel situations). If and how it will affect his performance, remains to be seen.

Let's try this again....

For those of you not familiar, a long time ago I used to have this blog where I explained horse racing to the largely non-horse enthusiast crowd...and then I stopped. Why?

Becuase it wasn't Triple Crown trail time anymore. And I have to admit, even I have problems keeping my attention on the sport when it's not leading up to one of its dual-annual jewels (those being the Triple Crown and the Breeder's Cup). So for years I let this blog languish and instead posted my horse racing commentary on Facebook.

So this year as I was gearing up for my first Facebook note on the 2012 Triple Crown hopefuls, it suddenly occured to me that what I was doing was stupid. That's what this blog is for!

So here I am again.

For now, anyways.

Screw it, let's get to the pretty horsies.

Union Rags (Dixie Union, out of Tempo by GoneWest

This is Union Rags. He's currently my Derby favorite. He was my Derby favorite last year. That means he is doomed to never win the race. Still, since he's my favorite, and since he'll be racing in his 3-year old debut this Saturday, I figured I'd start with him. First,let's do the pedigree analysis.

Union Rags is a son of Dixie Union, who is not what we would generally consider to be a stallion that breeds distance runners. Nor is his broodmare sire (that's his maternal grandaddy, for those of you not in the know), Gone West, know for passing on the ability to get the trditional Derby distance of a mile and a quarter. Not only that, but he's inbred 3x4 to Northern Dancer, and 4x3 to Mr. Prospector. What's that mean? It means he's got a not insignificant amount of inbreeding going on!

Generally, I don't like to pick Derby horses with a lot of speed influences in their pedigree as I think it's asking sprinting horses to go too far. I also don't normally like horses with even half the inbreeding currently present in Union Rags' ancestry. Why? Well, I'm a biologist. We tend to shy away from inbreeding when we can. So why am I so interested in Union Rags?

Partly, its the fact that he does have a double dosage of the famous cross between Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector, but more it's because of the way her runs. He does not run like a sprinting horse, he runs like a trueborn stayer. He's a late closer (which has hampered him a bit in his previous starts), and he may just be a "stretch running sprinter", but I personally don't believe it. I think this guy's got the scope to go a mile and quarter and win, and it seems I'm not the only one.

Union Rags' racing career began well, but with little fanfare, when he won a maiden special weight race at Delaware Park in mid July, 2011. Instead of giving him another chance at allowance level company, his connections decided to let him play with the big dogs and enetered him in the Saratoga Special (one of the more prestigious events for young two-year olds). Union Rags was up to the challenge and put a giant exclamation point next to his eventual victory, by winning the event by a 7+ length margin.

There was nothing else but to enter the young colt in the Champagne Stakes, next. The Champange, before the creation of the Breeder's Cup, used to be the premiere event for two-year olds in the fall, and it still draws the best horses in the countryas they prepare for their eventual entry in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile. Union Rags again left his competitors in the dust, winning by over 5 lengths. There was only one race left for him to conquer, one more time around the track to cement himself as the 2-year old champion and the early 2012 Derby favorite.

You can see where this is headed can't you?

Unfortunately, in the prestigious Breeder's Cup Juvenile, Union Rags hooked up with a sprightly little grey named Hansen. Like Union Rags, Hansen was also undefeated in 3 prior starts. Unlike Union Rags, he's a little speed demon who had never been headed (meaning, he'd never let another horse be in front of him in any of his races). Union Rags, a late closer, went wide on the turns and, most damning of all, swerved in the middle of his stretch drive (something he had done previously in the Saratoga Special as well) and lost by a nose.

This one blemish on his career did not deter his fans. He had lost by a nose to a speed horse who may never get beyond the mile and one sixteenth distance of the Juvenile, and after giving himself at least an extra 10 feet to run by his shenanigans in the stretch. Having worked hard all fall, he was sent to the farm for some R&R and to await the spring. His first start as a 3-year old will be tomorrow in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. There he'll be facing the imposing (Todd) Pletcher duo of Algorithms (who has already impressively won a stakes this year) and Discreet Dancer, not to mention a handful of other talented hopefuls that may be just waiting to break out.

Why else should you like Union Rags? Well first there's his trainer, Michael "I Walk Unscathed Out of Burning Passenger Jets" Matz. Matz is not my favorite trainer, but you can't argue he knows how to get a horse to the Derby winner's circle, nor that he knows horses in general. He's taking the same sort of "laid back" training approach with Union Rags as he did back in 2006 when Barbaro took the roses. You have to wonder, if it worked once, why not again? Also, there's his jockey. There was big news in the thoroughbred horse racing world when it was reported that Union Rags regular rider, Javier Castellano, decided to take the mount on Algorithms in the Fountain of Youth. Often, when a jock jumps off one horse in favor of a rival animal, it's generally considered to be evidence of his professional opinion as to their likelihood of winning. However, I'm not so sure Javier made the right choice, here. Regardless, Union Rags quickly picked up Julian Leparoux for his jockey, and I couldn't be more pleased. He's possibly my favorite rider for guiding late closers like Union Rags up to victory.

So is that enough reason to overlook a somewhat checkered pedigree? For me it is.


For now, anyways.

Big Surprise?

Nope.

Raise your hand if you're shocked to find out Big Brown is being retired at three due to injury. Looks like we'll never get to see the big Curlin/Big Brown match race we were all looking forward to in this year's Breeder's Cup Classic. But guess what, Big Brown will soon be ensconced in a breeding shed where starry-eyed owners of classic racemares will spend millions for the chance to breed and race one of his sore-footed offspring.

Yay?

Big Brown Got Served

Dutrow danced, then Jackson danced, and now it's on!

Yeah, yeah...so it's been a while. I've been busy. So shoot me.

Weekend preview

And if you thought racing was all over for the year after last weekend, well, you were wrong. For your racing pleasure this weekend we have “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” live from Churchill Downs, as well as a bundle of other high class stakes races from across the country. I’ll profile a few of the more interesting ones (from my point of view anyways):

Stephen Foster Handicap

This week’s feature race showcases the triumphant return of Curlin. Fresh off a romp in the Dubai World Cup and with his sights set on Cigar’s all time winnings record, there’s not much to say against the champion. Steve Assmussen groused about the imposition of the relatively high 128 pound weight on his horse, but really, does anyone think he doesn't deserve that kind of handicap? Even if I didn’t love him to death, I’d have to pick him to win.

Primary among the mighty Curlin's contenders is Einstein, who if this race was run on any other surface, I might be backing instead of the favorite. I was truly bummed not to see Eistein on Belmont day and I currently think he's the best turf horse running in America. That being said, he'll be running on dirt come Saturday. His trainer, Helen Pitts of "I used to train Curlin" fame, decided that he needed a race to fit in his training schedule and that the Stephen Foster was it. His last time on dirt (the Donn Handicap last February) he ran an unimpressive, but not awful, sixth. Mind you, he's won over Churchill's dirt track before, so I've decided not to accord the racing surface all that much thought.

Brass Hat has been consistently in the money this year, but hasn't won anything since last September. Sam P, a one time 2007 Kentucky Derby contender, looks to regain his previous form and bounce off of a recent allowance win. Grasshopper underperformed on the Preakness undercard, finishing 5th. Whether that was just a flub or the shape of things to come remains to be seen. Delightful Kiss comes off a second place finish in the one mile Blazing Sword Stakes. Keep an eye on hard knocking former-claimer Red Rock Creek, who is full of consistency.

1. Curlin
2. Einstein
3. Sam P

Northern Dancer Stakes

Everything old is new again as the primary contenders of this year's Kentucky Derby face off in this grade III race on the Stephen Foster undercard. Heading the list of contenders is my one time baby, Pyro. He'll be meeting up with former competitors Visionaire, My Pal Charlie, Texas Wildcatter, Unbridled Vicar and Recapturetheglory. So, I'm taking the track of betting this race as if it were the Derby (minus some significant competition).

1. Pyro
2. Visionaire
3. My Pal Charlie

Fluer de Lis Stakes

I love (love, love) Hystericalady. That being said, I don't think this distance (9 furlongs) is right for her. Meanwhile, Cowgirls Don't Cry comes into the race off a win in the mile long Shuvee Handicap. Peach Flambe impressed me in the Cicada at this very distance, and though she was 4th last out on the Preakness undercard, I'm willing to give her a nod today. Apparently ignored by the cognescenti is Kathleens Reel, who has shown she can fight for the finish of a 9 furlong race before (finishing 3rd in the Sixty Sails Handicap).

1. Peach Flambe
2. Hystericalady
3. Kanthleen's Reel

Affirmed Handicap

All the talk in this race seems to be about Two Step Salsa, who was a solid winer his last time out in the Lazaro Barrera Memorial, but who will be trying distance for the first time today. It's one of my rules not to pick a horse in a route race who's never tried two turns. Now, sometimes this does bite me in the behind and a horse I would have labeled a confirmed sprinter turns out to be able to hold off a late challenge. But, knowing next to nothing else about this horse, I'm going to go with my normal picking style. Meanwhile, Dixie Chatter just couldn't catch up to Two Step in the Barrera. Perhaps an added furlong or two might give him some more time to shine. One horse I do know quite a bit about is Tres Borrachos. He didn't perform like I thought he would in the Preakness, but it took a stumbled start to put him in that position. I think he's got a good chance at returning to top form here. Trevor's Clever won by a neck his last time out at the slightly longer distance of the Alydar Stakes (wouldn't it be funny if he won both the Alydar and the Affirmed?).

1. Trevor's Clever
2. Tres Borrachos
3. Dixie Chatter

Eatontown Handicap

Okay, I'm not actually going to hanicap this one, I just like that one of the fillies is named Beatrix Kiddo. You go girl.

In other news

- If you wanted your own Derby fantasy stable, but were too late to participate in the Road to the Roses, you can now play the Road to the Breeders Cup!

- My Belmont pictures, though now in, were not what I had desired them to be. They will require some cleaning up (and significant whittling down) before I’m willing to post them here.

- Kent Desormeaux and Rick Dutrow have apparently mended their fences about Kent’s ride on Big Brown in the Belmont. For those who were asleep the past week the argument goes like this:
1. Kent pulled Big Brown up in the Belmont, saying the horse didn’t respond to his urging at all and that because of this he thought that there might be something wrong.

2. There was nothing wrong with Big Brown and, in fact, he fought Kent’s braking all through the stretch.

3. A lot of people, Dutrow included, questioned whether Kent really thought there was something wrong with Mr. Big, or if he just pulled him up because he knew he couldn’t win (or even place) and would rather have the race “thrown out” because of the horse’s possible injury than just stand to mark a poor performance by his colt.

Some people have asked my opinion on this situation. My opinion is this- Rick Dutrow is an ass and shouldn’t complain. Yes your horse lost, but it was clear your horse wasn’t going to win at that point anyways. Boo hoo. That being said, I have the sneaking suspicion that Kent’s decision to pull up was not 100% founded upon concerns for his mount. That being said, I refuse to openly criticize Kent, because how am I supposed to know what went on in his mind, and if he did think there might be something off with Mr. Big, than he did the exact right thing. It would take balls to pull up a horse essentially to throw a race, it also takes balls to pull up a horse in a historic Triple Crown performance because you’re concerned for his health and safety. In other words, let’s just move on with our lives people.

This post has two titles

It's like a choose you own adventure novel! Pick which Belmont story you want to read. I'll give a more comprehensive re-cap later, but I want to be able to upload all the photos I took first. In the meantime, here's the short version(s):

1. OMG! Penny Chenery TALKED to ME!!!

This is the story of the various "Squeee!" type moments I had throughout the day.

So Mr. Blacktype and I arrived early at the track, having met with only one minor mishap on the way there (anyone know what the punishment is for accidentally not paying the toll on the Washinton Bridge?). It was pretty empty, so we were able to get a lot of neat photos. Including one with Hall of Fame Jockey Jerry Bailey, who had just finished a filming episode with co-star Randy Moss (who looked surly, so we didn't ask for his photo). I'd also get surreptitious photos of Hany Goldberg (who cares?) and our man Kenny Mayne. Oh, and this big old guy on a little girl's yellow Vespa. I assumed he was someone important, because only important folks can get away with that sort of nonsense.

But the big news is that Ron Turcotte (Secretariat's jockey, for those not in the know) was there signing stuff. The stuff they were selling for him to sign was pretty expensive, so I didn't bother (if I had known he would be there I would have brought something for signing). Anyways, later I reconsidered my decision, and decided I would go back and at least have him sign my program or something. Well, I walk around the corner and there...there was Penny Chenery (Secretariat's owner, for those not in the know). You'll have to excuse me, but I seriously freaked out for a minute there. Jimmy Gaffney (one of Secretariat's 2 major exercise riders...and no, even people in the know would generally not know who he was) was also there signing. This, I could not pass up.

So, I stood in line (totally missing out on the Just A Game Stakes), to buy an overpriced poster of Secretariat and get it signed by some of my heroes. I ended up having to tell some people not in the know why everyone was standing in line like that. One guy asked me if what I paid was worth it. I answered, "It is for me, because I'm an obsessed horse racing fan." This became a running theme, as people throughout the day kept asking me how I knew certain things (how to bet exotics, the location of Big Brown's birthmark, etc.).

The only thing that would have made this fangirl's day 100% perfect was if there had been a triple crown victory, but that's a story for the other section of this post.

2. Da'Tara- What the Hell?!?

Our tickets were far off on the right hand of the stands as you're looking at them. This put us really close to the final turn, but completely out of view of the finish line. No matter, it was relatively empty and cool there for most of the day, and it served as an excellent "home base" as we wandered around the track seeing different things. The one problem was that it was right by the ESPN broadcast booth. This was neat, because we got to see a bunch of the TV personalities filming, but it was bad because it effectively blocked a significant part of the view of the turn. No matter, I spent the better part of the day figuring out how to set up shots from near our seats so that I was 100% certain to get a good photo of the field as they passed the 3/16 pole. I chose my photo spot carefully and during the post parade I got a slew of shots of various horses from that location, including one of number 6, Da'Tara, who was lathered all to heck.

"Wow," I said to the random woman at my side, "Is that guy fractious." (Note to n00bs: fractious= sweaty and nervous, generally not a good sign).

She replied, "Yeah, a horse sweating that much before a mile and a half race in this heat has no chance."

A moment later she somewhat thoughtfully amended, "Watch him win now just to spite me."

I watched the race, cheering the start like everyone else and following the ant-size horses on their trip around the giant track. I flicked my eyes between their far off forms and the infield tote-board where you could actually see the action on the big screen. For some reason, I couldn't hear the announcer at all. They got to the point where I thought Mr. Big should make his move and under my breath I muttered "Now, go now!" At which point, the horses on the track disappeared from my view. I hunkered down at my rail, camera in place. I focused everything on the pole, ready to shoot the horses as they first came into view. The people around me were shouting, and suddenly a horse swam into my field of vision. I clicked the shutter. Immediately, I started resetting the camera for a second photo, tracking the leading horse. I was completely focused on my photography (it happens to be another obsessive hobby of mine), but I managed to register one fact about the horse in front of me.

He wasn't wearing saddle cloth #1.

A nice man on my left had brought his two young kids to the track. His son, who could not have been more than 7, was standing in front of me. I'm sorry, but I think I may have offended his tender ears.

In the end, it was Da'Tara, a longshot with little to recommend him who was victorious that day. Thanks a lot random woman at the rail, you totally jinxed us all. Or perhaps it was just me, my curse proving true once again. Oh well, better luck next year.

1. Big Brown- last
2. Macho Again- 5th
3. Icabad Crane- 8th

In all honesty, I'm not that broken up about it. Mr. Blacktype was considerably more depressed. I'm glad that I don't have to write this post about how happy I am Big Brown won the Triple Crown, while being secretly a little sad that he did and harboring the silent belief that he didn't really deserve it. And like I said before, now I have a cool T-shirt to wear for Derby day next year (and the year after that? and the year after that?). Plus I have a good reason to drag Mr. Blacktype to the Belmont again the next time there's a potential champion. All in all, it was a great trip and, lack of a crown aside, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

The last word

Before I take off for New York, I thought I'd leave you with a parting message intended to make you aware of just how much this trip actually means to me. This is the shirt I've created for tomorrow (so if you see someone wearing it, that's me!):
I've never known a triple crown winner, except what you can glean from grainy black and white photos and thoroughbred biographies. Sometimes I believe it's my curse to never see true greatness in my lifetime (well, that and to have something horrible happen in America every time I go overseas...long story). And I doubt even if Mr. Big was to win tomorrow, that I could really see him in the same way as I do the heroes of my youth. Maybe that's just a prejudice, the way everyone believes things were better "back in the day". People always look at the past through rose colored glasses (or at least, through fuzzy YouTube videos), but that doesn't mean that the past really was any better. If Big Brown takes it all tomorrow, few will say that he could have kept up with the likes of Secretartiat, Seattle Slew or Citation (and they're probably right), but it's entirely possible he could have given horses like Assault, Whirlaway and Sir Barton a run for their money. So he'll belong. Perhaps not in the highest choir of horse racing angels, but certainly up there.

So, if he does win, I'll probably cry. I can be an emotional little sucker like that sometimes. And if he doesn't, well I got a cool shirt out of it all which would remain relevant until next year...or the year after that. There's always a next year in the promised land of the Bluegrass, and that's why I keep coming back to this sport. That's why I keep watching year after year, although nothing in my 28 (soon to be 29) years of life has ever assured me that there would be a Triple Crown winner in my future. That's why I deal with heartrending breakdowns like Eight Belles, becuase I know that without the racing she would never have been given the chance to become more than 'just a horse' in the first place. We don't morn the loss of the pony down the road unless it's our pony; racing lets these horses to belong to all of us. It lets them live forever in our museums and memories and hearts. It gives them the chance, no matter how minute, to be somebody's hero.

So, I'll leave you with what I'd like to see tomorrow, with what we will probably never see the likes of ever again, with what cannot help but make me bawl every single time I see it (or read it, or think about it...yes I'm a sad, sad person).

Greatness is meant for the past, let us live in the now.

Rick Dutrow says something intelligent

I know, I'm in shock too.

His comments on whether Mr. Big, should he be victorious tomorrow, will not achieve the noteriety of other thoroughbred heroes who have taken the crown:

“I can’t imagine it is important to compare him to horses that have run years ago . . . It might be fun for (the media) to do that. But it just don’t make no sense. He is running with the horses he has been running with and that is all that he can be expected to match up against."

I'm glad he realizes his position. He's sitting on a good horse, a very good horse. But certainly not a great horse. Just a horse who's got some style in a year when very few colts could put up a fight. That doesn't mean he doesn't deserve the crown, heavens no. You race against your generation, and currently he's the best there is in this one. However, in perhaps the most wonderful thing I have ever read him to say, Rick went on to suggest that maybe, just maybe (oh, please), Mr. Big might get pitted against the best of another generation...just to shake things up:

"Hopefully, we get to face Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That would be exciting. We are looking forward to that.”

Me too Rick. Me too.

Oh, and incidentally, Suffolk Downs just announced that they will put up a $5 million purse for the Massachusetts Handicap should (1) Big Brown win the Triple Crown, (2) he and Curlin both remain undefeated this year, and (3) they both enter in the race. That's a bit of a tall order, but it's pretty hard to pass up a purse like that should everything else fall into place correctly. This makes me think of the match races of old. You know, despite the lackluster 3-year old season, this very well could end up being a very good year to be a horse racing fan.

Belmont Preview

As if Big Brown (Boundary-Mien, by Nureyev) needed anything else to boost his spirits for Saturday’s coronation, winning the coveted rail position can’t have hurt. The one spot is the most consistent producer of Belmont winners, and it’s sure to allow Mr. Big the room he needs to get to the front fast. By and large, his competition are closers, so they’re likely to leave him alone regardless. (Speaking of which, where has Spark Candle, Casino Drive’s rabbit, got to? I mean, I don’t think any of us expect that Big Brown won’t push the pace unmolested, but do you want to leave that possibility to chance?) He seems to have recovered fine from his quarter crack. That doesn’t mean that it’s healed, as that will take quite a while, but he did work a bullet on Tuesday, going 5 furlongs in 1 minute and change. He reportedly left his workmate far in the dust. And really, do we expect anything less of him come Saturday afternoon?

Not I.

Mr. Big’s neighbor in the starting gate is a horse named Guadalcanal (Graeme Hall-Bassette, by Quest for Fame*GB). Never heard of him? Neither has anyone else. He’s a maiden (meaning he’s never won a race), and he’s certainly never seen anything like the competition being thrown his way this weekend. Puts me in mind of The Lark Twist (kudos to anyone who picks up on that obscure piece of horse racing trivia). Anyways, he seems to be on the improve lately and the longer the distances get, the better he runs. Last out he was a fast closing second in a mile and a half turf race. That gives him his sole distinction in this field- he’s the only horse to have run farther than a mile and a quarter. Mind you, his Beyer in that race was a ho-hum 82. But in this crazy year, when Derby favorites win from the 20th post position in their 4th lifetime start, can we really throw out anyone? At odds of 50-1, I’ll put a $2 show bet on him any day.

Macho Again (Macho Uno-Go Donna Do, by Wild Again) is, hands down, the most accomplished horse in this field. Sure, Mr. Big has won more, but Macho gets the nod for experience. Do I think he can beat Mr. Big? Hell no, but I am confident that, on a good day, he can show his heels to the rest of this field.

Denis of Cork (Harlan’s Holiday-Unbridled Girl, by Unbridled), fresh off of his third place finish in the Kentucky Derby looks to catch up to Mr. Big this weekend. Can I just say, “Ummm….no.” Sure, he looked pretty good rallying from dead last to finish in the money on Derby Day. But he had a very smooth trip to get there, and really, where did he rally to? That’s right, 3.5 lengths behind a filly who would be dead two minutes later and 8.25 lengths behind his chief competition today. There was a time earlier this year when this guy was looking like one of the best in the country. He still does. Isn’t that sad?

If Casino Drive wins it will be a triumph of pedigree over…well…just about everything else. Casino drive is by Mineshaft, a stallion who, though he did not win the Belmont Stakes (he started his career in Europe and was never entered), is the son and grandson of Belmont winners. His dam is Better Than Honor (who for those of you asleep since 2005, has suckled the last two winners of the race). But it’s hard to get too excited. Let’s face it, a horse undefeated in two starts is still a horse with just two lifetimes starts. Granted, he’s crushed his competition in both of those performances….and its not as though Big Brown had won many more races (try one) before taking the Derby…and his Beyer of 101 (91? 102? Seriously, why can the internets not agree on this number?) in the Peter Pan Stakes is nothing to shake a stick at. If anyone has a chance to put some tarnish on Mr. Big’s crown, it’s this monster.

Da’Tara (Tiznow-Torchera, by Pirate’s Bounty) looked sharp finishing second to Roman Emperor in the Barbaro Stakes on Preakness Day. But this front runner will have Mr. Big to contend with the entire mile and a half around the Belmont oval. If he couldn’t hold on for the win in his previous mile and one sixteenth start, how can you expect him to go even farther on Saturday?

Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat-Silence Beauty*JPN, by Sunday Silence) is like a box of chocolates. I’m sure you can finish the quote on your own. On Saturday, will he be the hard closing winner of Wood Memorial? The not to be ignored 4th place finisher of the Kentucky Derby? The abysmal plodder of the Louisiana Derby? Barclay wasn’t too happy with his last workout; and if Barclay ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.

Anak Nakal (Victory Gallop-Misk, by Quiet American). In the words of Cloud Strife “…” No seriously, why do they keep putting this horse in stakes races?

Ready’s Echo (More Than Ready-Menekineko, by Kingmambo) is the favorite of my work buddy’s handicapping friend. Apparently his opinion has something to do with the colt’s breeding, which I can’t knock, though I feel its weighted slightly in favor of sprinting (read: not the Belmont). But he's certainly no Casino Drive, or Anak Nakal for that matter, when it comes to the "Who's your daddy?" factor. And I'll admit, he looked good closing in on Casino Drive in the (considerably shorter) Peter Pan Stakes (after an absolutely awful start, too). And...well actually...the more I try to talk about why my friend is wrong to like him...the more I like him. Darn.

I knew Icabad Crane (Jump Start-Adorahy, by Rahy) would do something in the Preakness Stakes, and he ended up doing even better than I thought. WIth a record of 3-0-2 in 5 lifetime starts, it's hard not to like the guy.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and make a completely silly prediction. I’m going with the same finish we had in the Preakness. Call it woman’s intuition.

1. Big Brown
2. Macho Again
3. Icabad Crane

Betting wise, I think I’ll stick with my gut choices:

$2 on Mr. Big to win (for posterity)
$2 Trifecta of Mr. Big, Macho Again and Icabad Crane
$2 on Guadalcanal to show (for my great uncle who fought at the battle of the same name...mind you, I only have his word for that...and this is the same guy who was convinced that little green aliens/elves were living in his basement)
$2 on Tale of Ekati to show (for my grandmother, who’s 88, and always bets #7)

And some other completely random/weird specialized bet that I haven’t figured out yet, just for the heck of it.

In other news

- Screw the United Postal Service, Kent Desormeaux is shilling for HOOTERS!

- And now for something considerably more tasteful: It was recently announced that Eight Belles would be interred at the Kentucky Derby Museum, joining the ranks of other four prior Kentucky Derby winners. Additionally, Churchill Downs announced that they will be renaming the La Troienne stakes (a three-year old filly race on the Derby undercard) for Eight Belles. I think that’s a great change. I know I groused about the re-Christening of the Sir Barton, but in this case La Troienne (though a fine racemare in Europe) is really best known as a broodmare in the States. Her legacy has been the excellent sons and daughthers she produced, a feat which Eight Belles never got the chance to equal.

The week to end all weeks

Wow...so this week we have the possibility of:

1. A black man winning the Democratic nomination for presidency

2. The Detroit Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup

3. The first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.

Just...wanted to point that all out. An actual substantive post to come later today (when I'm not so incredibly busy).

Preparations begin

Some of the bloggers at right have Belmont Day easy. It's just a matter of rolling out of bed and heading to the track for them. We have a good 10-11 hour drive (both ways) to plan, which will necessitate 40 gallons of gas and what looks like two separate forays into Canada. Not that going to Canada is a big deal for those of us born and raised in southeastern Michigan (oh, by the way, GO WINGS!). Anyways, it looks to be a busy weekend, but then that's my favorite type.

-Today we got our tickets to the Belmont in the mail. Miracle of miracles, we appear to have done well in the seat lottery. Here is a diagram of the track with an arrow pointing to the section we'll be sitting in. And right down in front of us (and slightly to our left) is the finish line. Woohoo!
(Okay, actually...turns out it's not that cool. But somebody misspoke when they were talking to me about the tickets over the phone. So, ummm...yeah...we're actually at the top of the stretch...which could be a lot worse...right?)



-I've made up the logo for my shirt, now I have to print it on iron on paper and transfer it. Should have done that yesterday, but I was busy being lazy.

-Ferret boarder contacted (Did I mention I have a ferret? I love her, but she can be a pain.)

-Driving maps to and from NY (and two and from our hotel and the track) printed.

-In the process of figuring out how best to utilize the greater NYC area's transpotation system in order to spend a few qulaity hours downtown (DH has never been).

Still need to obtain: snacks, drinks, rain gear, binoculars (I know I have a pair somewhere), 1000 speed color film for good photos, extra APS film for mini point-and-shoot, small denomination money for toll roads (have no idea how much cash to take in general). Oh yeah, and at some point I should actually try and profile the race entrants (and those of the major undercard races...which look to be full of class).

Comments from the peanut gallery

Will somebody please put a muzzle on Rick Dutrow?

Horse Racing for n00bs

Lesson #2- Backstretch Lingo

I’ve had some requests for a brief tutorial in horse racing terminology. I have to admit, the sport does have a language all its own. It’s been around a loooooong time, enough time to develop its own dialect. However, if what you’re looking for is just a basic list of horsey words and their meanings, you can find that elsewhere on the web. Like here. Or here. No, what I’ll provide is a specific subset of terminology that bloggers tend to use, so that readers can better navigate the turbid waters of the internet horse racing community. I’ll start off with a short explanation of the clever names of some of my fellow blogger’s pages (which can be found at right), because they represent an interesting cross section of lingo:

Brooklyn Backstretch- The Backstretch is the term for the stretch of racing surface on the far side of the track (away from the grandstands). It is also used to refer to the barn areas at a track, because these are traditionally located behind the backstretch itself.

Curb My Enthusiasm- A Curb is a type of bit (the metal piece on a bridle that goes in the horse’s mouth). It may also be used as a verb meaning to slow or stop, as basically that is what a bit is used to do to the horse.

Down the Stretch- The Stretch is the piece of track between the two curves which is closest to the grandstand. The finish line is located there. Although they aren’t sloped (usually), horses running the final parts of a horse race are said to be moving ‘down’ the stretch (“And down the stretch they come!”).

Green But Game- A horse who has little training or experience is said to be Green. A horse that tries hard in a race, win or lose, is said to be Game.

Handride- A Handride is a ride performed without the use of a whip. It means that when the horse was racing down the stretch, the jock didn’t feel it was necessary to urge him on to the finish. Basically, an easy win.

Left at the Gate- Horses break from a starting gate in order to maintain some sort of control over the race by having them all theoretically start at the same time. But sometimes the horse just gets caught flat footed when the doors clang open. While the rest of the more precocious field takes off, the sleeper gets Left at the Gate.

Post Parade- This is the name for the walk the horses take from the saddling paddock to the gate. It’s usually done in single file and, for the bigger races, is associated with specific songs (My Old Kentucky Home) and other pageantry. In that way, it is sort of a parade. Basically, though, it’s intended to give bettors (and owners) a last chance to see the horses before the race.

Railbird- The Rail is a term for the fence that runs around the edge of a racetrack. Correspondingly, a Railbird, is someone who’s always sitting at the fence and watching horses…in other words, a horse racing fan.

Superfecta Blog- A Superfecta is a type of exotic bet where, in order to win, you have to pick the first four finishers in a race in order.

Tote Board Brad- The Tote Board is the large screen in the center of a racetrack infield which gives information about wagering, track conditions, and betting pools.

View from the Quarter Pole- This is a reference to one of the many poles situated around the track for measuring purposes. It’s situated a quarter of a mile (2 furlongs) back from the finish line. So when horses hit the Quarter Pole in a race, they have a quarter mile yet to run. There are equally non-inventive names for all the other poles as well (Half Mile Pole,Three Quarters Pole, etc.). Just remember to count backwards from the finish.

And of course…

Blacktype Blog- When a horse becomes a stakes winner his name is forever recorded in breeding charts in BOLD CAPITALS. If a horse places in a stakes race, his name gets written in bold, but without the caps. Collectively, this is phenomenon is referred to as Blacktype. When a horse gets blacktype, or is looking for the same, he’s a stakes quality animal.

El Prado

Edgar Prado was just named as the jockey for Casino Drive. Although I hadn't mentioned it before, Casino Drive was having a bit of a jockey problem recently. His rider in the Peter Pan Stakes recently was none other than Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown's regular rider. Casino Drive's jock in his only other start was some Japanese bloke, and the owers were concerned about using a jockey unfamiliar with the track or with American racing ways. Up comes Edgar Prado who, if he can pull off a win next week against Mr. Big, will rightfully earn the title (in my mind at least) of Triple Crown Killer. He was also aboard Sarava, who upset War Emblem's bid for the crown back in 2002, and Birdstone, who ran down Smarty Jones in his Belmont Stakes loss.

In other news

-It hasn't been a good week to be a filly. Hell, it hasn't been a good month to be a filly. Nashoba's Key, a quality turf racemare who I was rather fond of, broke her leg kicking the side of her stall in a freak accident and had to be euthanized. To all those racing detractors that say the sport is dangerous for horses, here's proof that just standing in a safe, homely barn can be dangerous to horses. Meanwhile, Panty Raid (and there is an excellent horse name if I've ever heard one), another good mare, was retired from a non-career threatening injury. Why would she be retired from something that was non-career threatening? I have no idea. Her connections say it was because she wouldn't be able to race until fall. Yeah, well, there are races in the fall. There's races in the winter too, and next spring and...oh, just leave it. If they don't try to rush her into a breeding shed for a late cover then I will just have to shake my head in dismay.

-Curlin returned to the track Monday and worked a smooth six furlongs in 1:12.20 in preparation for the Stephen Foster Handicap on June 14th. Wow, a great racehorse not retired before the prime of his 4-year old career. Who would have thunk it?

Next time I think I'll do another Horse Racing for N00bs installment. So which lesson would you rather have: "Who's Your Daddy?", "What's in a Name?", "Horse Race Slang", or "How to Read a Past Performace Sheet".

Fly in the ointment

Just when you thought it was safe to start talking about the Triple Crown as if it might actually, possibly, maybe (please?) be happening this year, you get news like this. Big Brown, has been diagnosed with a small quarter crack in his left front foot (which for horse trivia nuts, may also be referred to as the 'near fore' hoof). So, what does this mean? Is he out of the game? No probably not, but it is a concern.

A quarter crack, also known a bit more archaically as a 'sandcrack', is basically a split in the hoof wall. Horses hooves are the functional equivalents of the human figernail and although they seem to be made of pretty tough stuff to us (especially when we're getting stepped on or kicked) they really are a piece of soft tissue. In other words, they can split and tear, just like when you break one of your own fingernails. It's not an uncommon injury for a horse, especially given the temendous pressure a thoroughbred racehorse puts on its hooves.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I break a nail I usually just file the rough edges off, and often that is soemthing you can do when a horse gets a little split in its hoof. However, you really can't do that with a quarter crack, because they begin at the coronet of the hoof. That's the name for band of semi-hoof running around the top of a hoof where it meets meets the horse's leg. It's essentially where the hoof is formed, and as I sort of implied above, it's not entirely hoof itself. You could compare it to the 'quick' of your fingernails. So, yes, with a quarter crack the hoof is essentially cut to the quick.

Quarter cracks can vary in severity, and their severity may be measured by both their length and depth. Length as measured by how long the crack appears from looking at it on the outside of the hoof (in Mr. Big's case, about 5/8 of a inch). Depth because there's pretty much no way to tell how deep into the hoof wall a crack goes just by looking at it. It's possible for a crack to split all the way down to where the hoof stops and flesh and bone begins, in which case there is a significant chance of infection. Here's some photos of quarter cracks with a range of severities from Big Brown's personal hoofcare guru (thanks for the link Left at the Gate!).

So, is this life threatening? No. Career threatening? No. Is it painful? Usually not (Big Brown is reportedly fine). Does it hurt his chance of going to the Belmont? Well, his trainer seems to think he's okay to go in now...but these things can change rapidly. Will it hurt his chances in the Belmont? Who can say? This horse has run on cruddy hooves all his life, this shouldn't make for much of a change. He's missing training, and that's never a good thing. His trainer stated in an interview that he may need to blow out the horse on raceday. I think someone must have heard him wrong, because who ever blows out a horse on race day anymore? Regardless, the point is, it's messing with his intensive training schedule, and that, just like with human atheletes, will throw him off his game. Just how much remains to be seen. Rick Dutrow is confident, but then Rick Dutrow's got a nametag that says 'Hello, my name is Arrogant Ass', so that's no big surprise. We'll just have to wait as see if the treament regimen thye've put him on actually works. Only two weeks time will tell.

This is why

I love The Onion.

What the future holds

With Big Brown looking to make his 6th lifetime start ever in just over two weeks, with that performance possibly (nay, perhaps likely) to result in the first Triple Crown win in three decades, and with recent confirmation of his stud deal totaling $50 million dollars, the question on just about everyone's mind is what Big Brown is going to do after the Belmont. Clearly, the answer will be different if he loses, but I'm making the assumption at this point that he won't. There will be strong pressure to retire him right away to protect him (and his delicate footsies) from potential injuries that could occur later in the year. Some people would even agree with his connections for making such a decision (note: those people do not love horse racing as a sport).

However, it should be pointed out that there's no reason (other than to avoid potential injury) to retire Mr. Big this early in his 3-year old season. By mid-June all the mares that are going to conceive a 2009 foal already have. So Mr. Big won't have anything to cover until January as it is. Meanwhile, there's some lucrative races coming up that could line his owners pockets a little more. Finally, if Mr. Big does go on to take the crown, there will be only one solitary cloud darkening the horizon of his career (well, aside from his questionable feet), and that would be his failure to meet world-dominating 4-year old Curlin. If the two of them don't gear up for a match in the Breeder's Cup Classic this fall, this fan, at least, will be sorely disappointed. And I'm sure I'm not alone.

No one has yet to make any firm predictions for Big Brown's future, but Rick Dutrow did recently state that he's planning on the Travers and the Classic. Which is just fine by me.


In a completely unrelated matter, I'm thinking about making myself some designer Belmont wear for my big date in New York. Right now I'm caught between two proposed T-shirt ideas:

1. Election themed with stars and stripes (coincidentally mimicking the silks of Mr. Big) and the statement "Big Brown 2008"

2. Three crowns and the phrase "Born in 1979...Waiting ever since"

What do you think internets?

Belmont Bound

The days are long at Belmont,
Speed they never learn,
And it's many a day since Man o' War
Has looped the upper turn.

Here I am, back to quoting poetry, but it fits, because apparently I'm going to New York. I've been to two Breeder's Cups in my day, but I've never seen a single leg of the Triple Crown while it was happenening. And, though I hesitate to say it becuase of my great fear of hubris, I do actually think it's happening...this year. Oh, yes, we've had close calls in the past, quite a few, in fact, in the last decade. Some, I knew wouldn't make it. When Real Quiet was making his run, I kept pointing at the horse perpetually in his shadow (Victory Gallop) and saying, "Watch that guy, he's gonna nip him in the end." Nip him in the end he did, though just barely. Same with Funny Cide, I really just didn't have any confidence in him. Smarty Jones I thought had a good chance, as good a chance as any I had ever seen. Charismatic was the first horse who ever broke my heart, breaking down in the stretch of that unforgiving mile and a half monster.

But Big Brown...I remember the first Derby edition of the BloodHorse I ever owned had a journalist recapping his favorite Kentucky Derbies. I don't remember the journalist, but I remember what he said about the Triple Crown. He said he thought Secretariat could do it, but he knew Seattle Slew would. At first I took that as him saying he thought Seattle Slew was the better horse, but now looking at it, I think it was really a comment on the various fields they faced. Secretariat knocked heads with Sham (who apart from his disadtrous Triple Crown defeats, was a darn good horse!), Forego (three time Horse of the Year), the persistent Our Native, the speedsters Angle Light and Ecol Etage, and Royal and Regal. Who did Slew face? Quality, yes, but not that kind of quality. And that's why the author thought Secretariat would win, but knew Slew would. It wasn't that the latter was better, just comparatively more dominant in his generation.

And that is Big Brown to a 'T'.

I didn't get to see much of the race, or even the pre-race coverage on Saturday. I was busy being a hostess. But, I did manage to take a few moments out from manning the stove to stand next to a TV turned to the race, and I caught it from about the beginning of the final turn on. I almost immediately was able to pick out Big Brown's now familiar silks. I saw him there, three wide around the curve, and I thought to myself, "Dear God, that horse is loafing." Well, it was either that or he was completely exhausted and being eased by Kent Desormaux, which I thought was highly unlikely. And so, as the field whipped into the straight away I found myself menatlly whispering, "Now. Now, is the time. Go right now!"

He heard me. He went. Race over. All that was left was to lean in close to the screen to hear the final order of finish. Back to the kitchen for the majority of the night. Excitement over.


But then, really, the excitement is just beginning.

1. Big Brown- 1st
2. Gayego- 10th
3. Hey Byrn- 6th
4. Icabad Crane- 3rd

In other news

-My husband kept talking about this race they were showing on Today at Pimlico while I was busy baking. It was an impressive showing in the Peter Pan Stakes by a horse named Casino Drive, who I think you've heard me mention before. Currently, he's being touted as perhaps the last, best hope for knocking some sense into Big Brown. I'm not holding my breath. His jockey was quoted as saying that you often see a horse ship from overseas like that (Casino Drive had just come from Japan the week before his race) and then not do quite as well after they've had a rest. Mind you, his jockey may be biased, as he's got a different horse he'll be riding in the Belmont (cough, Big Brown).

-Okay, so one of my friends recently emailed me saying she heard that Big Brown was doped up during the Derby and was supposed to have been disqualified and now she's all mad because she doesn't think that it's fair he wasn't. To all of you out there in internets land- Big Brown tested clean for all illegal substances after the race. Yes there was some questions because his trainer is scum. We admit that, but that has no effect on how great his horse may be. No, there was nothing untoward. No, Eight Belles hadn't been given anything either. No, it is not the fault of her jockey/trainer/owner that she broke down. It was an awful accident.

Preakness Preview

I haven't posted here in almost two weeks. I've all but stopped reading other people's racing blogs and my morning BloodHorse update. I haven't even managed to crack the Kentucky Derby re-cap edition of my BloodHorse subscription. It's sitting on my counter at home, gathering dust. Clearly, the Kentucky Derby has left me depressed this year.

And no, it's not just Eight Belles's loss. And it's not the having to explain to my co-workers and friends and random people who find out I'm a horse racing fan that- yes, it is horrible when a horse goes down like that, but accidents happen, and no there's really nothing you can do about it sometimes. And its not finding myself in the position of having to defend my favorite sport and training techniques and suspect racing surfaces and jockeys and less-than-squeaky-clean trainers and greedy owners. No, I've been through that before. I knew it was coming the instant I saw that grey form lying prone on the Churchill dirt.

I think it's more that I hate Big Brown.

I do, I admit it. I always feel a little resentment towards the winner of the Derby (which is invariably not the horse I would have chosen to win), but this year it's been worse than normal. I've had years where I didn't think the Derby winner would go on to win the Preakness, let along the remainder of the Triple Crown. Giacomo would be a good example. But never once have I not wanted the Derby winner to go on to wear the Black-Eyed Susans. So strong is my desire for another Triple Crown winner.

But I seriously want Big Brown to lose.

And it's not his fault. Not the horse at all. He's a cutie! He's got that weird white spot behind his left elbow. And he's done so much in what little time he's been on the track. He overcame what I personally saw as near insurmountable odds (the inexperience, the post position, etc.) to win with style. He went four wide that whole way around the Churchill track, and still finished like a champion. He proved that he was head and shoulders above the other horses in the race that day. And now he's going to Maryland to meet lesser (though fresher) competition.

It's hard to make a case for why he shouldn't win.

And my dear husband has promised, if he does sweep the Preakness, to take me to New York for my birthday present, to see a potential Triple Crown winner run. If only I could get excited.

I guess it's that there's nothing I hate more than arrogance. Nothing I hate more than the self-aggrandizing attitude his connections were exuding before the Derby. Nothing I hate more than people who invite the gods to strike them down for their presumption. And it kills me when people like that win. When it turns out that all their self-proclaimed superiority turns out to be correct. When they do things like deciding to retire their stud at 3, even before he's run his 5th race ever. When they can say, "Not only am I the greatest thing since sliced bread, but also, I told you so!"

But horses don't do that. They just love running. And this is something I just need to get over. And get over fast, because the Preakness is tomorrow. I'll be watching it on the little cabinet mounted TV in my parents kitchen as I roll endless rumaki and stuff countless mushrooms in preparation for my mother's 60th Birthday/Retirement party later that evening. Definitely not how I'd choose to watch the race for the Woodlawn Vase, but what can you do. Mom's only turn 60 once. So, without further ado, here is your Preakness pre-race analysis:

Preakness Stakes

When I started this analysis, Behindatthebar was one of my favorites for the race. However, it now appears he's been scratched because of a bruised foot. Alas, nothing can go right in this Triple Crown season. Thank goodness the Red Wings are still in the playoffs!

So, I've heard there's a horse named Big Brown in this race. Unfortunately, he makes the rest of the players look like amateurs. Undefeated in four lifetime starts, Beyer's consistently over 100, Kentucky Derby champion, blah-blah-blah. Let's just assume he's going in just about everybody's top spots and look at this as a race for second place.

Gayego (Gilded Time-Devil's Lake, by Lost Code) never had a chance in the Derby. He was one of the few horses in the race whose actual performance exactly matched what I had imagined in my pre-race mental constructions. Breaking from post 19, he was cut off by the rocket on his right and got lost in the shuffle of the 18 other horses on his left. He never got a chance to find his stride. But this time, he's on the outside of Big Brown. I think he perfectly represents the good horse with the horrible Derby trip, a not uncommon experience. And if anyone can bounce back from a bad prior performance and take Big Brown while he's busy planning his post-Preakness celebration, I think he's it. It's telling that his connections decided to keep him on the Triple Crown trail to threaten Big Brown when every other Derby starter flinched away to lick their wounds in the corner.

Another top contender, in my mind, is Giant Moon (Giant's Causeway-Moonlightandbeauty, by Capote). I loved this horse way back at the beginning of the season. He put in an awful performance in the mudddy Gotham (g.III), and though he managed to get up for 4th in the Wood Memorial (g.I), it was nothing spectacular. I can't say I really think he would have advanced much (or at all) on the top three Wood horses if given an extra 1/16th of a mile to run at them (which the Preakness would provide), but it did prove to me that his awful Gotham performance was not in the norm. I still like him, and he posted a bullet 4 furlongs in 47 and change on Tuesday to back me up.

I used to like Yankee Bravo (Yankee Gentlemen-Vicky Jane, by Royal Academy) too, but unlike Giant Moon, his recent disappointing performances have been...just that. Disappointing. No excuses. No signs of improvement. He's always there driving at the end, but without any apparent desire to make it there first. Of course, now that I've made this entirely arbitrary (and somewhat character based) assessment of him, he's probably going to do really well.

Tres Borrachos (Ecton Park-Pete's Fancy, by Peteski) made a good racde of it when he finished third behind Gayego and one of my Kentucky Derby favorites, Z Fortune, in the Arkansas Derby. But he likes to be near the pace, and if he does that in here that means he'll be butting heads with Mr. Brown (Mr. B? Big B? Double B? BB Gun? Seriously, Big Brown needs a good nickname). I think he'll lose that pissing contest.

My mom laughed at Icabad Crane (Jump Start-Adorahy, by Rahy) when he won the Frederico Tesio Stakes in an impressive stretch duel. She liked his name. She was an English teacher before she was an administrator and she used to teach American myths and legends to her high school students. I think it would be amusing for Mr. Crane to make an appearance for her retirement party. That and he's won over the Pimlico surface before. I think he pulled a good post position for his kind of running, and I think he was unlucky finishing 3rd in the Rushaway.

Kentucky Bear and Stevil both did pretty well in the infamous Bluegrass (g.I), finishing third and fourth respectively. But the winners of the Bluegrass turned out to be not all that come Derby Day (as I had predcited), so this doesn't mean too much. Mind you, the losers of the Bluegrass didn't turn out to be all that either (which I did not predict), and so I guess I can't really say anything about these two one way or the other. Macho Again is too inconsistent for me to back solidly. Racecar Rhapsody is...actually, I don't know why Racecar Rhapsody is in this race. Same with Riley Tucker.

Finally, Hey Burn (Put It Back- Restraining Order, by Skip Trial). He's been crushed by Big Brown before, but then who hasn't at this point? Before that he was a rapidly improving, rising star of the horse racing world. He came back from his Florida Derby (g.I) to do very well in the Holy Bull Stakes (g.III), admittedly against moderate company.

1. Big Brown (sigh)
2. Gayego
3. Hey Burn
4. Icabad Crane

Oh, and can I mention again how much I hate that they re-named the Sir Barton Stakes after Barbaro? Last year's inaugural winner (well, inaugural in that it was the first time the race had ever been run under its new name) was Chelokee, who was trained by Barbaro's former trainer, Michael Matz. Chelokee broke down in the stretch of the Alysheba Stakes on Oaks Day and is still touch and go. Do you see a pattern here? I think Barbaro, and all things associated with him, must be cursed. Do you know its bad luck to re-christen a ship? I think it may be the same thing with horse races.