Racing Versus NHL is No Contest

Been pretty sick for the last few days, so was stuck at home with nothing but TVG over the weekend, at least as far as racing goes. Don't want nor need to belabor the point of just how much that network totally sucks this time of year. But those were a couple of seriously fantastic cards at Gulfstream this weekend, not too shabby at Santa Anita either, and Fair Grounds and Oaklawn are in full swing. Turning on TVG and seeing Aqueduct, Tampa, and Turfway, and listening to the sleep-inducing commentary is like being stuck listening to John Boehner when the president is speaking next door. It's gotta be a statement on the popularity, of lack thereof, of the sport that it's been years since I've seen or heard even vague speculation that Direct TV would ever pick up HRTV. I've always considered this to be one of the most glorious portions of the racing season, and I guess nobody but our little peanut gallery really cares about it at all.

Meanwhile, the NHL had its All-Star weekend, and did so in grand style. The fantasy draft on Friday night, a red carpet show on Saturday afternoon, the skills competition on Saturday night, and a pre-game show leading up to the game itself, which might have been the least interesting part of the weekend (other than The Guardians Project bit after the second period, awesome, and an inspired marketing angle). True, parts of the draft, and some of those red carpet interviews, were cringe-worthy. But it shows you what a sport can do for itself when it has a network which truly makes it a priority rather than an afterthought, if not a downright nuisance, as racing is on ESPN. (To be fair, the NHL Network also contributed to the effort....but racing could have a network too if it was a unified operation.) Still laughing at the idea of the Breeders' Cup being on Versus?

Looking at these cards from Gulfstream almost makes me sorry that I'll never ever go there again after Frank destroyed the place. 22 races between the two days, just one horse below even money, and that was First Dude. I think this reader makes a fair point about the way that horse was ridden in the Millions Classic...but still, he was an absolutely horrible favorite at 4-5 in is first start since the Breeders' Cup, and his 9th consecutive losing one in a stakes despite still being eligible for an entry level allowance, Might not be a bad idea to enter him in one to bolster his confidence a bit. Might have been hard to make a case for Tackleberry ($56.60) if you figured First Dude would be winging it from the rail. But this gelded four-year old son of Montbrook is now a perfect three-for-three around two turns, earning a career-high Beyer of 100. He's out of a Concerto mare who's a half-sister to the Super Derby winner Outofthebox (also by Montbrook).

Julien Leparoux rode Dialed In, a good thing at 2.70-to-1 coming straight out of a debut maiden win last November, like he was Secretariat, dropping back some 15 lengths off the leader in the Holy Bull, according to track announcer Larry Collmus. It helped that he saved ground rallying on the turn, and surely didn't hurt that the mile distance proved beyond the capabilities of his competitors as they tired in the stretch. Still, quite an impressive burst of late speed once he changed leads midstretch. Odd fractions, according to Formulator, of 25.78, a blistering 21.58 to make up ground, 23.67, and 24.16; and he earned a Beyer of 96. This Nick Zito-trained son of Mineshaft is out of a Storm Cat (remember him?) mare; his second dam is the 1992 2-year old filly champion and Juvie Fillies winner Eliza.