Archive for May, 2009

  • Posted on May 29, 2009 | No Comments
    From today’s Churchill Downs barn notes … The whole morning Friday was decidedly not business as usual for Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and Preakness (Grade I) winner Rachel Alexandra at Churchill Downs. The first part of the morning was routine: a trip to the track...

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  • Horses and Humans

    Posted on May 27, 2009 | No Comments
    There’s not much about the racing industry that shocks me anymore: from thrilling stretch duels and winner’s circle celebrations to horses breaking down and PETA protests. But sitting in a London hotel room last Sunday, I read a headline that stopped me in my tracks:...

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  • Interesting Traffic Pattern, Mr. Woolley

    Posted on May 18, 2009 | 1 Comment
    Just a quick note to the owners of Mine That Bird… Dear Mr. Woolley, I love that you refuse to give up your cowboy roots and insist on driving your horse from race to race. While I totally understand the desire to ship the horse...

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  • See my pinky? See my thumb? See Rachel Alexandra coming, you’d better run!

    Posted on May 16, 2009 | 1 Comment
    I’m in the sport of Thoroughbred racing because my great-grandfather was a professional gambler who ran with Bugsy Siegel and called Santa Anita his office. It was his love for the “horse beach” (as it was called by the kids), that led to Nana bringing...

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  • Playing the Preakness

    Posted on May 16, 2009 | No Comments
    So the big question today is: Who Do You Like? I’ve weighed my choices carefully and I’ve come up with Rachel Alexandra. Call me a feminist. Call me a favoritist. Call me a communist. I don’t care. I think she’s the best horse in the...

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  • Early Preakness Odds - Round 2

    Posted on May 16, 2009 | No Comments
    #1 Big Drama is 10/1#2 Mine That Bird is 6/1#3 Musket Man is 14/1#4 Luv Gov is 23/1#5 Friesan Fire is 8/1#6 Terrain is 25/1#7 Papa Clem is 14/1#8 General Quarters is 16/1#9 Pioneerof the Nile is 6/1#10 Flying Private is 24/1#11 Take The Points...

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  • Early 2009 Preakness Odds

    Posted on May 16, 2009 | No Comments
    #1 Big Drama is 9/1#2 Mine That Bird is 6/1#3 Musket Man is 15/1#4 Luv Gov is 23/1#5 Friesan Fire is 9/1#6 Terrain is 25/1#7 Papa Clem is 14/1#8 General Quarters is 16/1#9 Pioneerof the Nile is 6/1#10 Flying Private is 24/1#11 Take The Points...

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  • To Each His Own but Explain Yourself

    Posted on May 15, 2009 | No Comments
    I’m not sure what Gary Stute’s doing but it’s either brilliant or ridiculous. Friday morning at Pimlico, Papa Clem (Stute’s Preakness entrant) had a ‘blowout’ work going 2 furlongs. This was to make up for a lackluster 5 furlong work the colt had on Tuesday....

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  • Diplomatic Relations, Preakness Style

    Posted on May 14, 2009 | No Comments
    It was announced on Thursday that the son-in-law of Godolphin’s Sheikh Mohammed is paying a performance regiment of the British Household Calvary nearly $380,000 to play a festival in Abu Dhabi. It will be the first time the troupe has performed outside of the United...

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  • Ears pricked means time for take-off

    Posted on May 13, 2009 | No Comments
    Is the guy in the red shirt Rachel Alexandra’s bodyguard? From the Churchill Barn Notes … The exodus of Churchill Downs-based contenders for Saturday’s 134th running of the $1 million Preakness (Grade I) was completed on Wednesday when major contenders Rachel Alexandra and Pioneerof the...

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