Thursday Night Notes

- The CHRB, who has been in the news a lot lately, rejected the Jockey Guild’s request to increase the minimum riding weight to 126 pounds. A hilarious attorney for the Guild said that the board was on a“death crawl towards nothing.” The attorney also told the board that "You've got a sick population of jockeys today."[Bloodhorse] The Guild is always good for a laugh, and I say that without trying to make light of the issue at hand, nor with any legitimate issues they may raise. They just have a funny way of putting things sometimes. For one thing.

- I don't think I'm a terrible handicapper, but I haven’t been winning that often over the last 10 years or so. You may be interested to know, however, that I have done well in the Derby, and I’m far ahead on a ROI basis, thanks in part to Lil E. Tee, who paid $98.60 in New York back in the good old days when there were different pools in each state and you could shop for the best price. He paid only $35.60 at the track. That was 1992, the year that Arazi, who won the BC Juvenile in one of the most awesome performances anyone has ever seen, was made the 4-5 favorite despite having had a knee operation and only one prep race, and that was in France! Anyone who saw him come from the back of the pack to win the Juvenile easily will remember why he was such a big favorite despite such a totally unorthodox approach. So I think that Bellamy Road's Wood will make bettors overlook that he's only had 2 races this year. It's actually less of a historical burden than the 5 weeks before the race is, at least in terms of the last time it's happened, which was Sunny's Halo in 1983. I don't expect him to be 4-5, that's for sure; I could see 9-5 though maybe? I was fully on board with Arazi, but had to take a shot with someone else at a price, and I plan to do the same next Saturday (next Saturday!).

Now Jay Privman is saying there are 22 entrants, including B. Wayne Hughes’ pair Greeley’s Galaxy and Don’t Get Mad. The latter will run in the Derby Trial Saturday, which means he’ll likely continue to be a Derby candidate, since I think he’s going to love the one turn mile. But since Hughes prefers to see Greeley’s Galaxy in, then if Don’t Get Mad is the in the top 20, he’ll want to pull him to make room.

Doug Bredar, Churchill's racing secretary, confirmed that an owner can enter with a preference declared, allowing Don't Get Mad's entry to be withdrawn at the 11th hour if it would put Greeley's Galaxy in the Derby.

"That's probably what we'll do when we enter," Hughes said. "One will have a preference." [Daily Racing Form]

I notice that I don’t see Spanish Chestnut entered in the Derby Trial. Is he one of the 22?

- TVG will start its “The Works” series on Saturday at 11:30 A.M. in the east; it will run through Thursday.