Giant Moon winning the Excelsior, my day only got worse from here (Sarah K. Andrew)

My day started down hill rather quickly as Giant Moon took me out of the Pick 4. It got worse as my dreamy beloved threw a clunker in the Ashland. I only had $2 across the board on Boleyn at 62-1 but I was profoundly bummed to see Stardom Bound turn in such a lackluster performance. Why does Keeneland kill the things I love? (Think Pyro, my last year’s dreamy beloved… who’s reportedly galloping at Keeneland these days, go figure.)

Also a bummer that my pick of the day, Kodiak Kowboy, got hammered down to 8-5, so I took a wagering pass. This was just one several bad wagering decisions made in the flurry of back to back races on different channels with no chance to watch the parade, or in the case of Hawthorne, only showing Musket Man in the parade. Seriously, what’s the point of that? At least I got to see the races! Then again, perhaps not wagering on them would have been a good thing. Comparing this year’s Wood to last year’s, perhaps I’m more like my dreamy beloved than I want to let on!

On the bright side, the Derby is shaping up to have one fine field! I Want Revenge, who’s now on Twitter along with Joe Talamo, moves up to my “like like” list. Freisan Fire, Quality Road and I Want Revenge will be top 3 over at PDI but I’m not sure how I’ll rank them at this point as I’m not favoring one over the other. Swifty is sticking with Freisan Fire because of Larry Jones. I can make a case for each of them and find at least one knock for each of them. And it’s not like the Derby is tomorrow so things can change. At this point my top three won’t really imply that I like any of them more than the others.

Imperial Council, also on now on Twitter, and my dreamy beloved (I’ll still always love you!) will be moving on to the Broken Up With list. I’m bad at break-ups so I’m trying to stay upbeat and looking for Rachel Alexandra and Just Jenda to turn in nice performances today. I need to rebound with someone hot! And there’s always this week’s Pool Party / Buycott to cheer myself up with… who doesn’t love a Pick 3 Pool Party at Tampa Bay Downs?

Update: run, don’t walk over Ernie Munick’s to watch his stellar video recap of Wood Day at the Big A. It’s right up there with I Want Revenge’s fleet of foot.

Posted by dana on Apr 05 2009    
Filed Under: Joe Talamo, Just Jenda, Friesan Fire, Twitter, Quality Road, I Want Revenge, Rachel Alexandra, Stardom Bound, 2009, Pick 4, Derby Trail, Sarah K. Andrew, Pyro, Keeneland, Aqueduct, Racing

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Channing Hill at Santa Anita (yausser)

Since I was smart enough to DVR the Florida Derby this week I have now have added a screen capture of the DRF Formulator ad showing two women with the text overlay “for every skill level”, you know, in case you didn’t believe me or thought I might be exaggerating (who, me?).

I’m finding it a touch odd that folks have waited until now to make the many & valid points being raised re: the new British automatic berth. All of these issues were apparent when it was announced, right? As a friend pointed out, “no one complained last week when it knocked Beethoven off the list”. Indeed.

Reminder, the first HANA Pool Party is tomorrow, WRD R6. Check out the HANA blog for free PPs and more. I’ll be playing a $1 exacta box of 1,2,3,6,10,11 with a couple of bucks of on 2 & 6 to win.

After this weekend Quality Road has moved on to my “like like” list, and how! Over at PDI I rated him #2 behind Freisan Fire but in all reality I can’t make a strong case of why one should be over the other so I’m just leaving Freisan Fire in #1 for now. I’m not really buying the LA Derby as non-legit path to winning the Derby. Sure the numbers are daunting but that didn’t stop Street Sense from proving the numbers wrong about Juvenile winners.

Guess I really oughta come up with a new poll now that it’s official that IEAH bought 50% of I Want Revenge. Way to go, those who voted for “Buy Another Derby Prospect”, perhaps you should apply to work at IEAH!

And speaking of that poll, as much as I’d love to see Stardom Bound in the Derby, the more I see the depth in the 3yo filly division the more I want them all to run in the Oaks against each other. Rachel Alexandra vs. Stardom Bound could be the rivalry of the year. And when War Echo comes back later in the year, look out! Check out this eyewitness account of Stardom Bound working at Keeneland.

It should also be noted that several fillies ran with colts this weekend on dirt and they didn’t break down! Please people, let’s move on from fear-based assumption that fillies and colts don’t mix. Just ask Indian Blessing, who picked a very nice check for solid effort against her male colleagues!

Posted by dana on Mar 30 2009    
Filed Under: Stardom Bound, 2009, Indian Blessing, Iavarone, Quality Road, I Want Revenge, Rachel Alexandra, Kentucky Oaks, Channing Hill, Kentucky Derby, Derby Trail, You Can Help, 3yo, Santa Anita, Exacta, Racing

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It isn’t easy finding the right date for the big dance. (ronstarr64)

Sure, winging it every week over at the Paulick Derby Index is fun, but I don’t have any fancy system or giant homegrown matrix to evaluate this year’s Derby hopefuls. The analytic part of me has been berating myself for not putting together some slick way to arrive at my rankings while the overwhelmed with work side of me says “f you” to the analytic side. Nice!

But back to the Derby hopefuls for a moment, rather than try to pretend like I have any kind of justification or process for my rankings, I’ll just stick to what’s worked for me in the past.

Let’s face it, we know just enough about our Derby suitors to start some serious speculation. Have you been writing The Pamplemousse over and over again in your notebook? Did your mom totally yell at your for doodling I Want Revenge on your new sneakers? Join the club… and welcome to the first installment of Derby Dating 2009, I Saw You in the Hallway!

And because I can’t improve on last year’s intro twirl…

Bandwagon jumpers, believers, non-believers, and hype haters… we’re all looking for the same thing, right? To fall in love. But we’re skeptics… hurt so many times in the past, afraid to open our hearts again and be made a fool of. So we’re cautious, asking our intendeds to jump through hoop after hoop after hoop before we’ll say with certainty “I love [horse name]!”.

Maybe I don’t believe in monogamy… I believe it’s ok to love one and bet on another, or even multiple others! I like to have an open relationship with a horse. I may love you with all of my heart, but if your odds are too low I’m probably not going to bet on you. Sorry honey!

It’s close enough to the big dance now that I can start to evaluate my Derby suitors. For the most part I’ve seen enough to know who’s just a fleeting interest and who’s got some real potential.

Just a crush? Let’s be friends? Or I really think we could be something special… only time will tell! Until then, here’s how they’re stacking for me.

Stardom Bound:
It’s no secret that I prefer the ladies and with lookers like this roaming the halls is it any wonder? She’s got it all… strength, class, heart and beauty! But like all smart kids who rocket to the top of their class early, she’s gonna have to buckle down now that others are catching up with her. And then there’s that small question of dirt. I know she can do it, she’s dreamy!

Freisan Fire
But then there’s this guy, over shadowed by his more popular stable mate, minding his own business and clearly not napping in study hall. He certainly has been looking hot lately, Old Fashioned who? Is he summa cum laude this year? Perhaps…

Old Fashioned:
Maybe now that his perfect reputation is tarnished he can relax a bit… he’s been chasing some wicked paces lately! I guess he hasn’t seen the after school special about keeping up with the fast kids only causing trouble in the end. If he sticks to his game plan and runs his own race, he’ll be fine. Good thing he’s got a good coach!

I Want Revenge
Moving in the middle of the school worked out great for this guy! He can go the distance, sitting off a hot pace while throwing in a little duel to boot. Sweet! Hopefully he can do the same thing as kids the bigger and more tough too. But what about that green rider with a lot to prove? There was some speculation at the parent/teacher conference about whether this could be his undoing.

Quality Road
It’s hard not to like like this guy after his last performance, rating beautifully off a hot pace and putting away a somewhat accomplished field. But I want to see if he can go the distance before I start sending signals that I’m really interested.

Desert Party
It’s always a bummer when a hottie gets shipped to boarding school. We keep hearing that he’s doing well and he definitely looked great the last time we all saw him. Do those fancy boarding schools really prepare students for the real world? I hope so!

Imperial Council
I only caught a glimpse of this fine looking fellow’s last performance but he sure did look promising darting in front of Mr. Fantasy in the last moment to catch second. Needless to say, I want to see more!

Pioneerof The Nile:
Here’s a guy that’s hard not to like but call me old fashioned, I want to make sure they like the dirt before I can give my heart away. Obviously I’ve made an exception for my beloved, Stardom Bound… she’s dreamy!

The Pamplemousse:
There’s always a hot guy at a neighboring school that everyone is crazy about, and I can see why. But the big dance isn’t at his school and he’s not going to have the home court advantage. How good will he look then?

Theregoesjojo:
His name is fun to say and he’s always near by but not quite when you want him to be. I don’t know, I think he could turn out to be big dance material.

Beethoven:
Is he putting it all together or falling apart? I can’t tell. I think he’s probably got it going on but only time will tell. I hope time tells soon!

Dunkirk:
Dunkirk, Dunkirk, Dunkirk… why do I keep hearing this name? I haven’t really seen him yet but so many people are totally saving a seat in the cafeteria for him. Whatever, I’ll wait and see what the deal is when he actually shows up, it’s not like there’s no one else to be interested in.

Rachel Alexandra:
I’m pretty sure I’m not giving this gorgeous thing a fair shot out of loyalty to my dreamy beloved. But quite frankly Rachel, I’m a little afraid who know who might kick my you know what if she found out I thought you were hot! Let’s put this way, I’ve got my eye on you… did you get that note I left in your locker?

Papa Clem:
I’m glad to see your parents had the sense to switch schools but I still can’t tell if you fit in or not. I’ll just give you a chance to get settled in and see what you’ve got next time out.

West Side Bernie:
I like this guy’s style, he knows he’s already got a spot at the big dance if he wants it so he doesn’t have to sweat it like the others. The only thing he has to do is stay focused on himself… and that kind of cool confidence is mighty attractive! The only problem is since he never comes to class we can’t really get a good look at him. Is he just another pretty face or could he be the real deal? We should know more Saturday… and by the way, thumbs up on the jockey change!

Chocolate Candy:
Mmmm, candy. Yes, please! Wait, it’s a horse? Ok, I guess I’ll wait and see what his deal is. I had no idea. I hope he’s hot!

Mr. Hotstuff & Mr. Fantasy:
Is that really your name? Yeah right!

Mafaaz:
Accents are totally hot. Is he cute?

Hello Broadway:
Hello, turf? Maybe he should follow in his half-brothers footsteps and try the turf. Even though I don’t want to go to the dance with him, I’d definitely be seen in the hallway with him, you know, later in the year.

Flying Pegasus:
He would so totally be on my “Next Stop, Like” list if his connections hadn’t taken him off the trail. I was willing to give him one more shot given the slop last out. Oh well, I’ll see you over the summer hot stuff!

I caught a little flack last year, and rightfully so, for not also doing an Oaks Dating counterpart. So this year I’ll be channeling my inner-tween puppy love style of evaluation towards the fillies… look for “Oaks Dating 2009, I’m Coming Out” soon!

Posted by dana on Mar 19 2009    
Filed Under: Quality Road, Desert Party, Rachel Alexandra, I Want Revenge, Derby/Oaks Dating, Dunkirk, Old Fashioned, Kentucky Derby, Derby Trail, 2009, Stardom Bound, Friesan Fire, Racing

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4 minutes to post, time for a commercial!

Has anyone else watching Santa Anita via simulcast found the commercials during the parade maddening? I can’t figure it out. Besides the race, the parade is the only other thing I want to see. NYRA, who’s been tearing it up over on Twitter, does faaaaabulous parade camera work on the simulcast.

I’ve had a private little boycott of SA going since the inception of the parade commercials that I broke to play the excellent Big Cap card. I should have stuck with it as I had a rotten day at the virtual windows. At least I kept my wagers light, thanks to the commercials.

Meanwhile, back on the east coast Kiaran McLaughlin summed it up by joking:

They’ve got good races out on the West Coast. Why didn’t (I Want Revenge) stay out there?

I’ll move I Want Revenge in to my top 10 list and look forward to seeing him in the Wood. I was never a Haynesfield believer, at least not for the Derby, so no surprise there. I like Val’s read on Imperial Council. I liked the way he closed as and will keep an eye on him, although he might be improving just a hair too late for the Derby.

I’m not sure I put any stock into the idea that I Want Revenge’s win validates Pioneer of The Nile. I like PoN but I Want Revenge’s performance in Robert B. Lewis was just so-so, not the strong performance of yesterday plus there’s that pesky synth/dirt question for PoN. GbG commenter and all around smart guy o_crunk probably has PoN’s number as a turfer.

As impressive as I Want Revenge was, even more impressive is Mr. Ernie Munick’s video of Gotham day at the Big A! Sights include a walk down wind tunnel memory lane, race caller smack down, Brooklyn Backstretch with Derby fever, local fans supporting their local jockey colony (as long as they’re winning) and a little holiday ballet on the fence. Fun stuff… it even made me wanna go to the Big A!

And how about Einstein? Kate of Keiblog shares this sentiment:

Einstein should inspire more horse owners to race their champs beyond 3 and 4. Japan does it. And obviously a champ is a champ! Go Einstein!

I won’t disagree, it’s great to have such a versatile talent around to show the rotten kids how it’s done!

Posted by dana on Mar 08 2009    
Filed Under: Einstein, Aqueduct, 2009, Twitter, I Want Revenge, Santa Anita, Kiaran McLaughlin, Grrrr, Derby Trail, Race Callers, NYRA, Racing

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I’m a little perturbed with all the spin about Stardom Bound being “barely best” beating an “unheralded” field and that her connections should face the “sobering reality”.

I couldn’t sum it up any better than Alan at LATG when he says:

Expecting to read the praises of the gritty win by Stardom Bound in the SA Oaks, I was surprised, and rather disappointed, to instead see it being framed in disappointment.

As Frankel put it, “She only ran 10 lengths farther than anybody else in the race”. Call me crazy, but I think having to overcome a wide, hideous, bumpy trip and still gutting it out to win is a plus, not a minus. But when one gets away on an easy lead with no challenge and wins by several lengths, well that’s impressive.

She’s staying put in my top 10 list for the PDI Index, I liked what I saw. (update: I removed her from my list after they announced she was off the trail. If she were still on the trail she would have remained at #2). Would I rather she had an effortless 6 length win? Sure, but what would she get out of that? The Oaks was probably the kind of race she needed if she wants to step up in to open company, and I hope she does!

But what do you think? Do you agree with Iavarone’s oversimplified (whoops, sorry!) assessment that she could “barely beat the girls” or do think she’s shown she can still get the job done even under adverse circumstances?

As for the last poll, it should come as no surprise that Chantal Sutherland was your favorite jock on Jockeys, Win or Die Trying. But, just like Stardom Bound in the Oaks, it wasn’t a runaway and she had to gut it out for the win! In the beginning it was a battle between Talamo & Gryder, but it didn’t take long for Sutherland & Smith to take over and battle for the lead. All the while Kayla Stra was in the mix and for several days she was on top!

There were a whopping 191 votes, that’s almost double the last most voted on poll (your biggest issue with the Breeders’ Cup) and I didn’t even promote this one! The final tally was 45 for Sutherland, 43 for Smith, 42 for Stra, 27 for Talamo, 26 for Gryder and 8 for Court.

As always, thanks for voting, even if you did you show up from a Google search for “pictures of Chantal Sutherland”!

Posted by dana on Mar 08 2009    
Filed Under: Kayla Stra, Jockeys TV Show, Iavarone, Aaron Gryder, Joe Talamo, I Want Revenge, Jon Court, Mike Smith, Stardom Bound, Chantal Sutherland, Derby Trail, Grrrr, Bobby Frankel, Poll, 2009, Impressive, Racing

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