Sunday Morning Notes - Aug 24

- The Travers crowd of just over 40,000 on a perfect day was around 1,000 more than last year, when the heat and humidity was stifling. The hottest day I've ever spent at a track. Considering everything, I'd say that's a pretty good crowd. Last year's race featured the Derby winner, but a field which was thought to have no competition for him. Looking back to the archives, I see I'd written that the race had created little buzz.

This year's race didn't generate much more, but it was at least competitive and ponderous on paper, and it turned out that way on the track as well. Fun betting race, and fun race to watch. But the final time of 2:03.20 (final quarter in nearly 26 seconds), the slowest time since Coronado's Quest in 1998, indicates that the race will have little impact on the eventual championships.

Big Brown was once again noticeable by his absence, as was Curlin last year. Jeannine Edwards, looking absolutely resplendent on ESPN, reported on the match race that I first made up here. I think I should be like Paulick and demand a little credit here, don't you? Like a game of telephone, the story changed a little, with the big showdown now scheduled for early December at Churchill or Gulfstream (the latter would be quite a feat considering that it doesn't open until January). However, she also reported that Jess Jackson was dismissive of the concept; that he wants to meet Big Brown in a normal race setting.

Well, what's up with that, Jess? Y'know, it seems to me that, on net, it's Curlin that is doing the most ducking around here. The only scenarios that Jackson has proposed are ones that would have favored his champ by rushing Big Brown into a race he obviously, given his light workout schedule since the Haskell, wouldn't be ready for. But on the other hand, he won't face Big Brown in the Breeders' Cup, his opportunity to face him in a "normal" race setting (other than the fact that the running surface could be like the La Brea Tar Pits for all the heck we know about it), and now has quickly put the kibosh on an event which could give this sport the biggest boost it's seen in a long time. I was glad that Jerry Bailey commented that the owners would both agree to it if they really wanted to help the game.

Ms. Edwards put the question directly to Steve Asmussen - you go girl! - who artfully ducked it. Asmussen also did not seem too hepped up about the chances of Pyro. No, his races have not been as good as those early in the year, and yes, he needs to improve, and no, the post position is bad. This prompted the Head Chef to inquire as to why everyone was betting on Pyro if the trainer thought he was no good? Probably a serious point in there somewhere. The Head Chef also said that she thinks that Edwards is "hilarious," but couldn't explain exactly why.

I don't think we'll see Robby Albarado celebrate after a race again until he knows the result. Tom Durkin wasn't fooled; he declined to make a call, noting a little skeptically that the jockey was pumping his fists. Randy Moss picked Mambo in Seattle literally seconds before they went into the gate, noting that they hadn't talked much about the third choice in the race. And no, they hadn't...

OK damn, I gotta go just when I was getting warmed up, be back with more later......