Happy First Saturday in May! To be honest, I’m a having a little trouble getting jazzed about today with the late scratch of I Want Revenge after all the other defections and breathtaking splendor of Rachel Alexandra being wasted on connections that see the Triple Crown only as a function of showcasing stallions. Talk about a bring down, at least they’re out and proud about it and not trying to pretend that it determines the best 3yo in training… I’ll give them that.

Moving on, another reason why I’m having a hard time getting jazzed is that I felt there was more value apparent in the Oaks card, such as my picks of Miss Isella and Bullsbay, than I can find today. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try!

Kodiak Kowboy looks tough to beat in the Churchill Down, this is his distance and if the track is still sloppy or off I might single him in any multi-race wagers. An acception to that would be Accredit who should benefit from the added distance… leave him off at your own risk. The Roundhouse is an interesting long shot to me as he’s improving and has placed to Kodiak Kowboy in the past (although he was the fav in the race).

Update: Accredit for the win! Still alive in the Pick 6 and Pick 3. The Roundhouse got up for the 3rd, was really hoping he could get place as I had a little exacta box of the two. Kodiak Kowboy was hard ridden half way through, not his day.

The Eight Belles (nee La Troienne) is a little tough. I’ll go with Just Jenda here but will throw in Warrior Maid and Lady’s Laughter for some fun. Warrior Maid is cutting back to a distance that suits her and has done well on the second off and Lady’s Laughter is more of hunch play than anything. She’s won at a mile on the dirt and placed by a neck to Stone Legacy, who was only 20 or so lengths behind the 2009 Triple Crown winner yesterday. I’m having trouble getting jazzed about Four Gifts as the favorite but the distance should suit her and she’s reunited with her winning jockey, Shaun Bridgmohan, which is always something to take note of.

Update: Ugh, Four Gifts beats Just Jenda and leaves me playing for 5 of 6 in the Pick 6. Warrior Maid gets third. Oh, I’m also out of the Pick 3 now too, damn. Time to order pizza!

I really liked Ballymore Lady in the Distaff Turf Mile (look, a race that’s still called Distaff!! ok, maybe my mood is lifting) but I’ll use Elusive Lady, Visit and Lemon Chiffon. I do like Tizaquenna but wonder if she needs to sets the slow pace to win on the turf? I’m not sure that’s going to happen with Rasierra in the race so I’ll stick with my other 3.

Update: Guess that answers that question about Tizaqueena, she can sit off the pace and win! Dawn After Dawn, who looked ready to rock in the parade, hung tough for second while Lemon Chiffon was third. It looked to me like Smith struck Elusive Lady with his whip in the stretch when as he passed with Lemon Chiffon. Elusive Lady, my pick, definitely stopped.

I’m looking forward to betting against Informed Decision in the Humana Distaff, but will not leave her off any multi-race tickets. She hasn’t fared as well switching from synthetic to dirt and Secret Gypsy and Game Face look tough.

Update: I only played a small exacta of Royal Michelle over a few horses because she looked really good in the parade but Informed Decision blew by the rest of the field in the stretch. Naturally I left her off my desperation Pick 3. I think my frat boy neighbors are having a Derby party, maybe I should ask them who they like, ugh!

Before I handicapped the Woodford Reserve I thought I might single Einstein, but regardless of the fact that that Einstein loves the distance and surface combo, Proudinsky and Zambezi Sun are interesting and should do well on the softer turf. Proudinsky is on a roll and training well for Bobby Frankel while Zambezi Sun should finally show what European turf class is about after running on concrete turf and then poly out in Cali. This one should be interesting. After just watching the first turf race of the day, the outside post should also be helpful to Zambezi Sun and Einstein.

Update: As it turns out, I could have singled Einstein. What a race! Very thrilling stretch battle with Einstein getting up in time to beat a very game Cowboy Cal. At least I’m alive in the double. It’s now confirmed that my neighbors are having a Derby party, they’re all dressed up and when their door opened I heard someone explaining what Quinella is.

And now for the big one, the breeding showcase, the Stallion Derby! Like many a player my pick to win is Friesan Fire. I took me until now to really settle on that as my official pick. I almost, ALMOST went with Desert Party.

My A-Team, top 3 are: Friesan Fire / Desert Party / Papa Clem. I would not be surprised to see any of those three win. I will definitely have tri and exact boxes of those three + win bets on Desert Party and Papa Clem (Friesan Fire’s odds will probably be too low for me for a win bet… but if he looks good, who knows!).

I’ll also use Musket Man and Summer Bird. I may do a $1 3/5/all ticket ($204) but am not entirely sure yet. I also ready have some interesting live futuracta tickets with Friesan Fire on top so I’ll wait to see the parade and spend the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out how to construct my tickets.

Good luck, let’s get them all home safe and may the best stallion win!

Update: I had a brutal day at the windows but as it turns out, the only gelding in the field won… take that “Stallion Derby”!

Posted by dana on May 02 2009    
Filed Under: 2009, Einstein, Picks, Shaun Bridgmohan, Friesan Fire, Desert Party, Pick 3, I Want Revenge, Rachel Alexandra, Churchill Downs, Trifecta, Bobby Frankel, Handicapping, Derby Trail, That's Why They Call it Gambling, Larry Jones, Kentucky Derby, Exacta, Pick 6, Pick 4, Racing

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Larry Jones horse whispering to Buy the Barrel (wendyu)

Get ready to hop aboard the midnight train to Jonesville, Larry Jones-ville that is! Not only are the Hennegans following Jones around with with their cameras this weekend (and hopefully twittering soon! hint, hint), Joe Drape’s feature in the NY Times is currently the lead story on the Times’ sports page. I don’t know about you, but I’m already liking this year’s Derby hype coverage waaaay more than last year’s!

No doubt you’re waiting to see how everyone does tomorrow before you place your futures wagers for both the Derby and the Oaks. Don’t forget, this year’s wagering menu introduces the futuracta!

Speaking of the Oaks, this year’s TV coverage is being dropped by ESPN. However, it’s being picked by Bravo, who had already planned to do a one hour Oaks day special, geared towards the ladies.

Churchill spokesman John Asher said Bravo’s Oaks coverage has the potential to reach new fans.

“While ESPN did cover a considerable chunk of Oaks Day, we’re very excited that we’ll be able to reach a new audience for the Kentucky Oaks on the Bravo telecast of activities surrounding the Kentucky Oaks and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. We think that presents wonderful opportunities.

While ESPN gets a big thumbs down for this move, bravo to Bravo. Plenty of racing fans of the female variety, myself included, have mentioned that making the game more accessible to women would be a great thing, so cheers for that. On the other hand, part of me thinks this has the potential to be similar to the new insipid positioning of menswear inspired women’s wear as “boyfriend”-wear.

It’s times like this I try to remind myself that not everyone has to experience racing in the same way to find it enjoyable. I’ll be watching the simulcast signal, but if Bravo can attract some new folks to the game or at the very least broaden it’s appeal, that’s probably not a bad thing. Particularly compared to no coverage at all.

And finally, this fan of racing and technology is very happy to see Jessica blogging again at the newly upgraded Railbird v2. Newly expanded focus, same smart observations. Other recent smart observations include Pull the Pocket on thinking like a marketer and the Wind Gatherer with an appeal.

I’m off to do a bit of handicapping, best of luck this weekend!

Posted by dana on Mar 13 2009    
Filed Under: Mainstream Media, Churchill Downs, Kentucky Oaks, 2009, Film, Hennegan Brothers, Derby Trail, Larry Jones, Marketing, Racing

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Very little in fact, but here it goes… a big, BIG congrats and shout out to GbG pals the Hennegan Brothers on their Eclipse Award for The First Saturday in May (buy the DVD)!

Recently I noticed that Breeders’ Cup posted this clip, created by the Hennegans, to their YouTube channel. I knew about it, but never saw it and am still not clear on where it aired. I love their sensibility and it instantly made me excited for the BC even though 1) it already happened and 2) it wasn’t all that exciting.

In photo news, you have until the end of tomorrow to go vote in round one of the TBA photo do over. Also, GbG regular rotation photog Raymond is on fire as of late over at Aqueduct… check him out too.

And speaking of being on fire, there was plenty of chatter over at Twitter during the races, much of it about Jones. (That should be *greet* Just Jenda… sadly Twitter does not have an edit function).

As if all that weren’t enough, there are plenty of new kids in town at the TBA… most recently Chalk Eating Weasel, Amateur Capper, Michigan-Bred Claimer, Keiblog Racing and Gallop France. In the recent past Thoroughbred Brief, Triple Dead Heat, Turk and the Little Turk and Mary Forney have also joined the growing ranks of people willing to spend their spare time writing about the game that they love. Good for them, and good for us!

Posted by dana on Jan 10 2009    
Filed Under: YouTube, Aqueduct, 2009, First Saturday in May, Hennegan Brothers, Breeders' Cup, Larry Jones, Racing

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Larry Jones’ pick-up! (Hen Bros)

Trainer Larry Jones has been tampered with AGAIN. Less than a month ago Jones and Jim Squires had a positive drug test (which Squires is appealing) and now someone has been turning horses out at his barn!

The latest episode lead to an employee being fired and according to the article “Jones is confident he is not the target of other horsemen or activists”. To make it worse, not only did the culprit(s) turn out the horses, his stable pony, Pal, had blisters in mouth that were not the results of cuts… what the hell kind of message is that?

It took me a while to come around to Larry Jones. Swifty and I swung back and forth thinking he was an idiot to thinking he was a genius several times during our beloved Hard Spun’s 3yo campaign. I think ultimately his last 3 races and in particular his incredible finish in the last year’s Classic sold me. I thought, incorrectly, that Hard Spun should have gone in the Dirt Mile because he wouldn’t get the distance and while he didn’t win, he did turn in another strong performance.

I also hear it from some trusted friends that Larry and his wife Cindy are two of the nicest people you could ever meet! And c’mon, look at his truck. If Swifty still had a car I’d be pimpin’ his ride Hard Spun style for his birthday!

And if anyone has any ideas for a new poll, let me know!

Posted by dana on Jul 02 2008    
Filed Under: 2008, Hennegan Brothers, Larry Jones, Hard Spun, Racing

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Larry Jones training my beloved Hard Spun at Monmouth (Sarah K. Andrew)

Over at The Rail, the question was posed to Dr. Larry Bramlage about Larry Jones’ practice of exercising his trainees and if this could have played into Eight Belles’ accident.

No! This did not contribute to her injuries. You could even make the argument that it would be preventative in that it would make the bones stronger. He rides his horses regularly. They are adapted to him on their back. That would tend to make them stronger. The filly that won the Oaks, Proud Spell, is much smaller than Eight Belles. He rides her, too.

To which I asked (by way of comments): “doesn’t his answer indicate that the weight requirements for jockeys are waaaay too severe and in fact cruel? I thought the reason jocks had to weigh less than a supermodel is due to safety concerns for the horse.”

Can we now use his answer, in print in the New York Times, as evidence that jockeys don’t NEED to have ridiculous weight restrictions. While everyone is so high on safety right now, we shouldn’t over look our sport’s human athletes.

Posted by dana on May 08 2008    
Filed Under: 2008, Workouts, Larry Jones, Jocks, Racing

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