Preakness

Saturday the 133rd Preakness will be run at Pimlico race track. Primarily it is a day when we see if the Kentucky Derby winner will continue our hopes of a triple crown winner. For the Belmont it is particularly important as the interest that will be generated from a possible triple crown runner will greatly increase fan attendance and news coverage. I truly believe that Big Brown is destined to be that horse. Bear in mind that this is no easy task. Even some of the most talented of horses were unable to pull off this feat. It's been 30 years since we last saw one. It is one of the great moments in history that not everyone will be able to say they saw. With the untimely death of Eight Belles still fresh in the news it will over shadow any accomplishments made by Big Brown, as it already has, except for that of winning the triple crown. As much as it is a tragedy what happened to Eight Belles it is also a tragedy that Big Browns accomplishments to this point are being over shadowed by those who like to talk about the negative things rather than the positive. Big Brown has drawn post #7 and is the 1-2 morning line favorite.

PETA

After staging protests in front of the racing offices in Lexington Kentucky it appears that PETA is planning to stage protests at the Preakness. Accidents happen in all sports from crashes in Nascar to injured football players. It is just part of professional sports. The problem with groups who are now complaining about horse racing is that they just look for opportunities for a forum. No body protested when the $10,000 claimer broke down on a Wednesday at some track somewhere in America. You see there was no need to protest for that because it wasn't in the national spotlight. Where are the human rights activist protesting boxing who at times have had a boxer die in the ring. I just read a statistic that something like there is 1 breakdown for every 1000 races run. Like I said before what happened to Eight Belles was tragic and breaks my heart as a horse lover, but to try and discredit horse racing and its people as some heartless individuals who care nothing about the animals is going to far. What's PETA going to say when they ban whips and a horse and jockey go over the rail killing both because the jockey didn't have the equipment to prevent it. I never hear any one say anything when a jockey goes down and is left paralyzed or with brain damage. Where is the concern for them. Well I'm just rambling now so can we just put the whole thing to rest and focus on what could be the first Triple Crown winner in a long time.

Eight Belles

Its been a few days now since the running of the Kentucky Derby and instead of talking about Big Brown's tremendous victory the news is saturated with the breakdown of Eight Belles. PETA(two people and a fax machine) are calling for the suspension of jockey Gabriel Saez for circumstances he had no control of. OK so they're mad at him because he didn't stay with the filly and walked away after the incident. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe he too was injured or at least shaken up and needed to get to the jocks room to be looked at or catch his breath. Granted he did not do a Chris Antely with Charismatic or Edgar Prado with Barbaro, but this was an entirely different situation and breakdown. With the other two instances mentioned the jockeys felt something wrong and instinctively pulled their horses up hopping off to help with their injuries. In the case of Eight Belles Saez was caught completely off guard and went down along with the horse. I guess if you've never been slung to the ground at any type of speed you would not know what that feels like. Believe me when I say it is not something we like to do. Watching the stretch run of hers I never saw any sign of her going bad. She switched leads, was stretching out, and never took a bad step. Unfortunately the worst injuries and worst spills come from the soundest horses. When a horse is lame or has an injury it will try its best to take care of that injury. For instance it will run on the lead of the uninjured leg or displace its weight onto the good leg. They will almost pull themselves up before they breakdown lessening the effect of the spill and injury. Horses which are sound run full speed not knowing that something is going to happen. When they breakdown they are caught completely off guard and go down harder than others. This was a tragic event, but it was nobodies fault. I feel for all the people involved, but PETA needs to get a life and leave horse racing alone. Race horses are the most pampered animals alive. They have someone constantly looking over them taking care of them and in some instances sleeping a few doors down from them.

NOW DO YOU BELIEVE?

Whew! Big Brown are there any of you out there that have doubts? I think we might be looking at a Triple Crown winner. This horse looks to be a freak. When he made that move on the turn I thought wow he's either got a ton of horse or he's using up his horse on this move. It was hard to believe the horse had anything left after breaking form the 20 post using his speed to get four wide and then staying there till the top of the stretch. I can't believe I had this horse at 20-1. This was one of those time when your thinking why didn't I have more on him. I'll take what I can get that was just awesome. "when I made that move, I felt like Tom Cruise in Top Gun", I love hearing Kent's analogies after a race. It's always very colorful. I'm ready to give out winners for those of you interested. I think I'll check out the odds to win the Triple Crown. Wish I had thought of that earlier.

Derby Day

Today is the official 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. I made a mistake in saying that Big Brown was breaking from post 16 it's actually worse as he is in post 20. Currently at last check of the odds he was sitting about 3-1. My picks button is at least up and running. You will actually get four picks for the $10. Right now my focus will be on the west coast race tracks. I will eventually have selections for the east coast as well. The way it works is that as soon as paypal notifies me of your payment I will E-mail you over my selections. Congratulations to Oaks winner Proud Spell and her connections. Lets go Big Brown! Good luck to all you out there with your derby picks.

Plans are in the works.

So how many of you picked up on my winner yesterday. Madeo scored paying 8.20. I know its not a 20.00 winner but what do you expext for free. Its a lot more than you'd get from the bank. Well my site plans are still in production. I should have my betting page set up soon I hope. I am really looking forward to that. I talked to William Antongeorgi III mother yesterday and she says "Billy The Kid" is doing good. I'll have to keep my eye out for him. Omar and him are like best friends up there so maybe I can get a live horse or two. Big Brown breezed his final 3/8 workout in 35 2/5, a little faster than Dutrow or myself would have preferred. The description was that of a perfect gallop though with Kent sitting high in the saddle and his hands never moving. His ears were pricked so I'll take it. Lets just hope he moves as easily on Derby Day.

Big Brown draws post 16

OK now I'm a little worried. With Big Brown drawing post #16 he is most likely going to break from the auxiliary gates. This has proven to be a difficult task to overcome in winning the Derby. There is also the fact that he most likely will be the Derby favorite which also does not bode well for him. Trainer Richard Dutrow says that Big Brown knows what he is here to do. He knows he is no longer at Palm Meadows and he has been in the gate so he knows he is here to race. Big Brown is scheduled to work 3/8 tomorrow after the break. "The horse is a dream come true" says Dutrow. Big Brown is lightly raced with only three starts under him due to quarter cracks in his feet. With not much experience behind him the packed field of the Kentucky Derby and the traffic he will encounter will truly test the ability of this young horse.