Report: Spitzer To Resign

- From WABC-TV in New York:

Sources tell Eyewitness News that Governor Eliot Spitzer is going to resign, after being linked to a prostitution ring in a published report.

Eyewitness News is told Spitzer will make an announcement Monday afternoon.
.....
Spitzer officials wouldn't immediately comment on the story. Spitzer, 48, is married and has three daughters.

But he did not do so at his press conference, at which he appeared with his wife.

UPDATE: Here's the text of his statement, via The Daily Politics blog:

"For the past nine years, eight years as attorney general and one as governor I have tried to uphold a vision of progressive politics that would rebuild New York and create opportunity for all. We sought to bring real change to New York and that will continue."


"Today, I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted ina way that violates my obligation to my family and violates my or any sense of right and wrong. I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public whom I promised better.

I do not believe that politics in the long run is about individuals. It is about ideas and the public good and doing what is best for the state of New York. But I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself. I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.

I will not be taking questions. Thank you very much. I will report back to you in short order."

I believe he'll be reporting back to us with his resignation.

UPDATE: Spitzer statement:

The Happy Couple

Looks like I was having fun, y'think?

The word of Just Zip It's victory spread around the room, and before too long, people whose names I didn't quite know were coming up to congratulate me. My buddy Bob had gotten the live update from the track, and the account he'd received was that she was left at the gate, but won by a "measured head." That wasn't too far off. She didn't really get left, but did break a little awkwardly and got bounced around. And "measured neck" (it was actually a half length) is often the way one describes a finish after the race. Not so sure I would have been confident that Jose Espinoza had it all the way if I was watching live; but he got it done with a couple of left-handed smacks. And I'm certainly glad that, at odds of 2-5, she didn't let down all of those who were counting on her as part of their Pick Sixes (nor reader onecalicocat), which returned $1,995 for four heavy favorites and two second choices. What was so hard about that?

Just Zip It posted a snappy time of 1:10.85, the second fastest of seven six furlong races on the day, and just 3/5ths slower than Southern Prince ran in the feature.

- That was a tantalizing possibility, the chance of Nashoba's Key meeting Zenyatta in the Santa Margarita; not this time, but maybe soon. Nice to see Carla Gaines' mare back in the winner's circle after a couple of losses. A classy run indeed, as she blew by the slow-pace frontrunner Dawn After Dawn ("Victor Espinoza couldn't be happier," Trevor Denman noted at the half mile pole) as they went from the three-eights to the eighth pole in 23:03, and she sauntered home in 11.52. I don't want to belabor the point, but some of the more charismatic horses on the track this year (which will, hopefully, soon include Rags to Riches) reside in the filly and mare division.

On top of the charisma list for the males is Curlin, and assistant trainer Scott Blasi described his latest workout as "awesome." You might think that Blasi is a little bummed having to spend all this time in Dubai, but he told Bloodhorse.com: “I wouldn’t trade this for anything.”

Going to the Chapel, And We're.....

- Well, actually that's not exactly the case. The Head Chef and I were officially married at City Hall on Friday, which was a trip all in itself. Today's festivities will include a faux ceremony to mark and commemorate the occasion. And right around that time, Just Zip It is scheduled to go to the post as the heavy favorite in today's 7th race; she's the even money favorite in the morning line. It's a good thing to have a NY-bred who can run a little in March at the Big A. So good luck to the Castle Village partners this afternoon. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it.

Just some quick impressions on yesterday's races before I gotta go. The most startling sight of the day was that of Circular Quay not only being close up to the pace, but actually being wrangled back by Garrett Gomez. What the hell were in those blinkers anyway?? Grasshopper, and his trainer Dale Romans Neil Howard, must have been reminded of the Travers, in which he waged a similar losing battle from the inside. A fantastic race; Grasshopper battled back and I thought he was going to do it, but it was not to be. Whether it was the blinkers or a Fair Grounds track over which Circular Quay ran his last good race a year ago, we'll have to wait and see....but I doubt we'll see 6-1 on him anytime soon.

Daytona never seemed completely comfortable this time, despite setting a slower pace than he did in the Fair Grounds Handicap. He was never quite able to get away from Proudinsky and Buffalo Man. No real excuse here.

Regarding Indian Blessing, far be it from me to be telling Bob Baffert and Garrett Gomez what to do. But it seems to me that this filly's main asset is her brilliant speed. So perhaps she should just be allowed to do her own thing early rather than being restrained, thus allowing Proud Spell, a fantastic filly herself, to stay close enough to track her down in the stretch. Still, Gomez said: "If anything it was better than her last effort," and indeed, the race was faster than the Louisiana Derby which followed.

Pyro was a revelation in that race, like Circular Quay, displaying early tactical speed that we've never seen before. So much for the notion that being closer to a reasonable pace would dull his closing kick. He showed a lot of grit in bulling his way through a crowded stretch to get through and post a classy three length win; and that's invaluable experience for the 20 horse field of the Derby. Nuthin' doing for Tale of Ekati or Majestic Warrior, and I dunno, maybe this two-prep thing is not the ideal approach?

And finally for now, thanks to reader Nate for posting about the amazing story of Autism Awareness, a $1,000 yearling purchase who won the El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows at odds of 62-1. He was coming off his maiden graduation, in his 13th start! More on that story here and here. As for me, I gotta go. The Head Chef is giving me funny looks. Have a great day.

Louisiana Derby Day

- Well, the weather sucks here, so what could be better than sitting at home, kicking back and watching these Fair Grounds races on.......Oh.

Well, anyway, Silver Sands is the first horse in the first race of the big day. This three-year old daughter of El Prado was bet down to 2-1 in her debut. She hopped at the start, saved some ground after that. But jockey Patrick Husbands had to wait behind horses and swing out turning for home; and then had to abruptly change course to the outside in the stretch. After finally being set down, the filly finished with much interest, only four lengths back in 6th. Trainer Mark Casse adds blinkers, a 31% move (in 26 starts). Silver Sands has a lot of inbreeding, to Northern Dancer, Native Dancer, Turn-to, Hail to Reason, Nashua, and the great broodmare Special.

Le Caire is the morning line favorite amongst the non-MTO entries, for Frankel. Nice efforts in her first two, on a fast main track and in the slop. She earned a big Beyer in the latter, but tries grass for the first time; she stands to be overbet based on her 87 Beyer and her trainer, just 27-1-4-1 at the meeting. She's by the grass champion Cozzene, out of a Gone West mare.

- In the 4th race, Final Refrain is listed at 9-2 in the morning line, while Pectoralis Major is at 15-1. If the odds turn out to be like that, it would surely be a huge overlay on the latter, who Final Refrain defeated by only a head in their last race. Not only that, but Pectoralis Major was far back early, and then a good 3-4 paths wider of Final Refrain as they both rallied turning for home. This five-year old daughter of Unbridled's Song has been pretty consistent at and around this mile and a sixteenth distance, and trainer Malcolm Pierce is hitting at 25% (13 for 51) for the meeting.

- I guess the question about Euroears in the 5th, the Duncan F. Kenner, is what he's faced thus far. His last dirt race, his stakes win over the track in which he earned a career high Beyer of 106, was a pretty strong field, with the consistent Stormin Baghdad checking in second; third place finisher Semaphore Man came back to trounce an Oaklawn field that has produced a stakes winner in Probation Ready. But though Semaphore Man wired that field, he's not a consistent speed sort, and Euroears has the Moss pace figures to dominate this field early on.

One horse who might be worth watching is Les Grands Trois. His erratic campaign is certainly of concern, but he's run well off the layoff, and may not have cared for the Cushion Track or the Grade 1 company in the Malibu. His consistent works over the Hollywood synthetic track may give him a conditioning edge here.

- You know I'm not a chalky type of guy, but this all-graded stakes Pick Four looks as if it could be a cold number. There's opportunity here if you can find a reason to oppose either Grasshopper, Daytona, Indian Blessing or Pyro. Personally, I'm not getting much inspiration to do so regarding any of them.

Grasshopper saved all the ground in the Mineshaft, but exploded through horses in convincing enough fashion to make him a solid pick in the New Orleans Handicap. He's 2-1 in the morning line, and stands to benefit price-wise from the presence of Circular Quay, who returns to the scene of his Louisiana Derby win, but with little....very little to recommend since that time. Silver Lord conceded ground on both turns to the favorite, but I think he'll need that kind of racing luck and more to turn the tables here. Brass Hat picked up the pieces when last in the Donn as Daaher sped to the six furlongs....and they couldn't retire that one fast enough, could they?

Daytona proved he could win outside of California when he wired the FG Handicap. Strangely, Mike Smith elected to stay in California (to do what, ride Neko Bay?), and Alex Solis picks up the mount. It's being billed as a stiffer test, with Proudinsky and Brilliant, the latter coming off a seven month layoff, in the field. Whatsmore, he starts from the outside ten post as the high weight. But the thing is, there is NO other speed in this race. Not all that often that you see a deep stakes field such as this with such an obvious lone speed. On paper anyway, he figures to effortlessly clear the field in the long run to the first turn, and I think he could easily go 1:12 2/5 again like he did last time and nobody, with the possible exception of the rail horse Buffalo Man, will be within two lengths. I like Yate's Black Cat as a possibility to hit the board at a nice price. Late runner should save ground with Kent D, and could run by those who are discouraged by the front runner in the long stretch.

I mentioned earlier in the week that I like Indian Blessing. And I'm really excited to see her run; more so, in fact, than the boys in the La Derby; and I'm not just trying to make a point about Filly Friday here. The Juvenile Filly champion really strutted her stuff that day; she was totally cool with Miss Missile having the early lead, scoffing at her 93-1 odds, and easily disposing of her when she was ready. And she opened up with an exhilarating, yet seemingly effortless burst of speed. Until she got leg weary in the final sixteenth of course. Chances are she will tire again here, and I wouldn't be shocked if Proud Spell, another filly who I quite fancy, catches her this time. But I'm not going to bet on that.

And Pyro is a colt who is just on a roll. He's been prominent in the racing press throughout the year, first with his morning outings with Curlin, and then his incredible rally to win the Risen Star. Not to say that there aren't other talented colts here. Tale of Ekati was number two on my Derby Top Ten, and Majestic Warrior is a colt who I know has a lot of fans who were not too deterred by his surprisingly dull Champagne. After all, War Pass loose on the lead has made other talented horses look bad too. By AP Indy, out of the multiple graded stakes winner Dream Supreme, by Seeking the Gold, Mott's colt only figures to get better around two turns, which he tries for the first time here.

But I dunno, the thought of opposing Pyro here seeks kinda like thinking that the Patriots were going to lose the Super Bowl.....believing that Hillary had no chance in hell to stop the Obama momentum......Hmmmm. Well, it's horse racing, so what, really, are the chances of the favorites sweeping these four races? And what would the Pick Four pay if they did? Certainly not odds worth betting I'm sure....but I'm presently not inclined to bet against it either.

- Yes, I have Formulator again. After some initial trouble, I was able to install Windows on my Mac Book, and this is a trip, man. I was doing something else while it was loading, and it was really weird to hear the Windows music and see the familiar logos pop up. You can run Windows and Mac in separate boxes side by side. I'm able to restore my Windows files from my online backup service, and drag them onto the Mac desktop. So this is quite cool, and thanks again to those who called this to my attention.

Friday Morning Notes - March 7

- Gary Contessa has started twice as many horses as anyone else at the Big A; a staggering 351 going into Thursday's action. And his latest turnaround project is Rite Moment, a 13 length winner in the Limit Stakes. Since being bought privately by Winning Move Stable, this four-year old has three dominating wins in four races, plus a second in the Correction Handicap. Whatsmore, Thursday's effort was the filly's first try around two turns. It wasn't the greatest field in the world though, and Jermaine Bridgmohan had to get after Rite Moment and ride her out to the finish. I wouldn't be surprised to see her go back to sprinting.

Rite Moment is by Vicar, and when you see the sire's name in the Form with no accompanying stud fee, it likely means that that horse has departed us, either for the great stallion farm in the sky, or perhaps for some third world country where it could be subject to byzantine laws and religious indoctrination. In Vicar's case, he was dispatched to the KRA Stud and Training Farm on Jeju Island in South Korea, and we hope he's adopted well. All you ever wanted to know about racing in Korea is contained here.

- Nice one for Shug at Gulfstream yesterday. His filly Rejoicing, having been defeated by a mere 41 lengths in her first two career races, was 6-1 in the morning line. However, she went off as the 3-1 second choice and won off by three lengths; what a great game. This four-year old is your typical Phipps-bred; by Forestry, out of Pennant Champion, a daughter of Personal Ensign, and therefore a half or full sister to Miner's Mark, My Flag, Our Emblem, etc.,

- With our wedding reception on Sunday, there's obviously a lot of activity, little of it related to racing, and not much time for me to spend here. I'd love to find some to discuss the Fair Grounds races a bit, and perhaps I'll be able to do so later this evening or in the morning. Or maybe not! Here at the Big A, the Gotham came up as a deep and competitive affair. I know that Giant Moon is getting the headlines, but colts like Saratoga Russell, Roman Emperor, Ling Ling Qi, and Visionaire hold much promise as well. Unfortunately, it's supposed to pour later today into tomorrow. And since there's no Polytrack at the Big A, that's not good.

News and Notes - March 6

- "It's like putting lipstick on a pig," said Massachusetts state Representative Daniel Bosley in response to a glossy 11-page color brochure distributed to lawmakers by Governor Deval Patrick, as he tries to push his casino initiative, which may or may not include a racino for Suffolk Downs.

"The pamphlets sent out by Governor Patrick today are not half as slick as his phony economics," added Barney Keller, spokesman for the state Republican Party. "Instead of wasting money sending out these mailers, he should be focusing on providing Massachusetts residents with real job numbers for his proposals." [Boston Globe]

Patrick was blasted earlier this week for a pronouncement that casinos would create 30,000 construction jobs for the state. House Speaker Sal DiMasi called the number "absurd;" Patrick responded by saying that "whatever the number is, it beats the opposition, which is zero." The Governor's office admitted that the number was based on an estimate by Suffolk Downs, which would compete for one of three licenses should a bill pass.

"The fact that those figures were taken from Suffolk Downs, a casino advocate, at face value and simply multiplied by three [makes] the argument . . . even more questionable," the DiMasi statement said.

The new pamphlet claims instead that "tens of thousands" of construction jobs would result.

Today, a report released by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce found that 10,000 to 11,500 one-time construction jobs would be created – much lower than the 30,000 jobs that the governor has been touting. [Boston Globe] Though other projections in the report are said to be largely consistent, though slightly lower, than those that the Patrick administration has been using, those construction job numbers are obviously not going to help the governor's credibility as the debate goes forward.

- Don't expect to see any State Troopers hanging around New York's racinos from this point on. Even before the annual budget fiasco even gets to the fiasco stage, the State Police are being reassigned, leaving law enforcement to the local authorities. In what should be a surprise and a disappointment to slots opponents who cite the horrible crime that casinos bring, a spokesperson for Governor Spitzer said:

“We believe that these racinos are an inherently safe atmosphere and have a history of few serious crimes,” Anderson said. “We believe [the troopers] can be put to better use in these high crime areas.” [Schenectady Gazette]

- Julien Leparoux has 24 wins from just 108 mounts at the current Fair Grounds meeting.

Stronach Shell Game

- In case you were worried about Magna Entertainment's plight, be assured that its racetracks are "fundamentally large, strategic blocks of land in large urban centers."

"Notwithstanding the current U.S. real estate market, they remain extremely valuable, particularly as zoning efforts continue to be pursued.” [Thoroughbred Times]

So says John Simonetti, the CEO of MI Developments, the majority owner (and also a member of the Magna Int'l family), in terms of stock and voting power, of Magna Entertainment (MEC). He acknowledged in a conference call on Wednesday that MEC will be unable to repay some $150 million worth of debt due on May 31 (just a portion of the company's total debt of around $247 million). And, as far as those asset sales that we keep hearing about:

"Given the state of the overall U.S. economy, MEC could not have picked a worse time over the past two years to try to sell significant blocks of real estate." [Toronto Star]

MEC's troubles, along with a drop in business from Magna International, the MagnaDaddy of them all, are dragging MI Developments down with it. However, that company does at least remain profitable, a word you won't find in any of MEC's recent filings. Despite the trials of MEC, MID reported a profit for 2007, though at $39.5 million, it was 34% lower than the $59.9 million realized in 2006. Year-over-year revenue increased 7.6% to $794.6 million. [Bloodhorse]

Yet, Simonetti also said that the company may lend even more money to the embattled racetrack company. Gee, that sounds like a good investment. But the fact is that, voting power and common stock ownership aside, Frank Stronach is the controlling investor in all three of these companies, despite having only a minor equity stake in the subsidies. Don't ask me how....but he is the Creator of his Universe, after all. And that makes me snicker when I see headlines like Parent may not help fund Magna (subsequently changed to MI Developments mulls additional help for Magna Entertainment). It all smacks of an elaborate shell game to me. Do you really think that Frank is going to let his baby go belly up as long as he's ultimately calling all the shots? And about those pesky shareholders? If Frank could persuade them to stake Magna International's future on an alliance with a shady billionaire from the modern-day czardom that is Vladimir Putin's Russia, I'm sure that another bailout or two for his racing company won't be a major obstacle.

Tale of Three Three-Year Olds

- A trio of interesting and emphatic Triple Crown-nominated three-year old winners at GP on Wednesday. Keep Laughing won off by six with a perfect trip under Johnny V. at 7-10 in his second start for McLaughlin. This colt was second to Pletcher's Understatement in his debut last month, and was 7-10 here. Keep Laughing is by Distorted Humor, and while his $85,000 sales price looks bad compared to the current $300,000 stud fee that you see in the Form, the stallion's fee was $50,000 the year Keep Laughing was bred. On the other hand, considering that that fee was up to $150,000 the year he was sold, and that his half-brother It's No Joke (both out of the graded winner It's Personal [Personal Flag]) had been graded stakes placed that year (just after the sale, he won the first of two graded stakes), the price must have been somewhat of a disappointment. But he's certainly done fine so far.

The sixth race was a successful return to the races for Ready's Echo, who, you might recall, created a stir at Saratoga last August when, according to Tom Durkin, he came from "another county" in his debut to run second to Z Humor, also making his first start on a day which also saw Maimonides romp in his first start. You also might remember that he got a lousy fig. It was probably because of that 58 that the Pletcher-trainee was 5-1 in the morning line. The bettors were not fooled however, sending him off as the 9-5 second choice behind Morning Theft, third behind Understatement and Keep Laughing in his debut.

Ready's Echo (More Than Ready) wasn't nearly as far back this time; only nine lengths after a quarter rather than the 25 he conceded in his debut. Velazquez made an inside out move on the turn, and, though he looked a bit green in the stretch, Ready's Echo poured it on late for an easy win. And this time, his Beyer should be just fine; the final time of 1:23.21 was a shade quicker than that of Keep Laughing. He gained 5 3/4 lengths in a final 3/8ths run in 38.11, not bad.

When I read the comment by reader ljk about Big Brown, the name rang a bell. Indeed, he's another one who made a splash at last summer's Saratoga meeting, this one with an eleven length win with a rousing late run on the grass for Dutrow. I also wrote about some interesting inbreeding, to Damascus and Round Table, and how he would be worth watching on the grass.

Wednesday's 7th was off the turf, but that didn't much bother this son of Boundary. He was just the easiest kind of winner, with Kent Desormeaux doing his impression of Castellano on Bellamy Road in the Wood (minus the cheerleading). He only beat four horses, but one of them was Crimson Comic, a bet-down eight length winner in his debut for the Toddster at Laurel last fall. Big Brown came home in 25.79; but he was totally geared down. So whatever Beyer he earns for the mile run in 1:35.66 won't tell the whole story.

Wednesday Morning Notes - March 5

- The purse subsidy deal in New Jersey still has a lot of details to fill in. We know that the casinos would kick in $90 over three years, and that the tracks again give up their right to seek slots; but just how the money will be distributed amongst the tracks remains in question. The casinos also get a tax break related to comps. The deal that expired this year was for $86 over four years. So, on a per year basis, it's gotten far more expensive for the casinos to deny New Jersey's racing industry the opportunity to freely compete with surrounding states. Governor Corzine, by the way, supports the casino's contention that the tracks should not be permitted to have VLT's because they would hurt business in Atlantic City, so thanks a lot for that.

- Here's Saturday's card from Fair Grounds, and it looks like quite a day of racing. Full field allowances and maiden races sandwich the six stakes races; four of those Grade 2 events. I haven't seen the betting slate. But figuring that they'll be a Pick Four on those graded events, it looks like one of those which are playable for those with smaller bankrolls, with single candidates in each race - Grasshopper in the Fair Ground Handicap, Daytona in the Mervyn Muniz, Indian Blessing in the FG Oaks (or Proud Spell if you prefer....I prefer Indian Blessing), and Pyro in the Louisiana Derby.

Some of those may be more "singlish" than others. There's surely no lack of talent in the Muniz.....while Pyro, in my opinion, looks like the biggest cinch of them all given his edge in recency, his familiarity with a track that suits his style, and his triple digit Beyers from last year. I was amongst those who sought to temper the excitement over his Risen Star win; but I'd be quite surprised to see him lose here. It's true that several of the other contenders have a similar late running style; but his speedy stablemate J Be K may prove to be an unintended rabbit, ambitiously stretching out from six furlongs in this spot.

Indian Blessing is listed at 3-5, and Proud Spell 6-5 in the FG Oaks. I've flipped on the former, going from a doubter to a supporter after the Silverbulletday. Looks to me like Proud Spell will again have her work cut out for her given the short field (four horses) and lack of any apparent early challenger to Baffert's brilliant Eclipse winner.

The unbeaten Euroears gets tested for class in the Duncan Kenner, which preceds the graded stakes action. The four year old son of Langfuhr is unbeaten in five starts, and his Beyers certainly match up with those of Noonmark, who I'd guess will be the favorite, and definitely with King of the Roxy, making his four-year old debut. The latter's running lines look kinda ugly here; his Beyers dropped off precipitously as his 2007 season ended, and I view him with skepticism here. Obviously, I hope to get into these races some more before Saturday, but figured that we'd take a sneak peek as long as I had a few moments free.

Notes - March 4

- Well, with the wedding closing in, time is becoming increasingly scarce, and I'm getting more and more distracted. My friend Bob just called. While I remembered to bet his horse Foolish Bid at Philly Park on Saturday (4th place), I completely forgot about his Primal Peak today ($26.20). Oh man.... But Bob gets not only the winner's share of the fat $31,000, but another 40% by virtue of the horse being a PA-bred. So, not too shabby at all, and congratulations!!

So, posting continues on a when-able-to basis (though I will of course find time to go to the Rangers-Icelanders game tonight). Thanks to everyone for all the comments on the Filly Friday post. It's obviously a topic which elicits quite a lot of passion, though mostly from those opposed. The more supportive comments are of a "give it a chance" nature. My personal opinion remains that the true championship races should be billed as such, distinguished from the newer races which do not warrant that status, and run, if not on the same day, at least on days on which a lot of people can watch and participate.

However, I also do appreciate that the Breeders' Cup is trying to do something, and I'm certainly willing to give it a chance, as Chip Tuttle requested. (Full disclosure demands that I point out that I worked for the Breeders' Cup last year....and that I'd love to do so again in the future if they'll have me....though I guess not at the cost of my rubber-stamping their decisions, which I also must point out that, to their enormous credit, they've never asked nor required me to do.) Regular readers know that I feel that an effort to get people involved in the races, via online handicapping/selecting contests, would be a wonderful way to expand the sport's appeal. I hope to find some time to respond specifically to some of the commenters, but please feel free to keep them coming.

- When Governor Spitzer took office, he declared with much fanfare that he would strictly limit campaign donations to him to $10,000, far less than the $55,900 permitted by law, as part of his drive to clean up Albany. “I think this is unprecedented....I do not know of another instance where others have acted unilaterally," he said at the time.

But the NY Times reported on its front page today that donors are easily skirting that limit - and with the Governor's help. In the drive to take the Senate from the Republicans, donors are being encouraged to also donate to the state Democratic Party, which Spitzer also controls.

Mr. Spitzer’s aides acknowledge encouraging contributors to give to both accounts, but say they are abiding by the law and the governor’s pledge, while trying to match the bare-knuckle politics of state Republicans.

“Reform needs action; it’s not a rhetorical device,” said Ryan Toohey, the governor’s top political strategist and the architect of the Democrats’ efforts to win the Senate. “So long as the Republican Senate is there, reform is going to be too often frustrated by their obstructionist tactics.”
.....
A review by The New York Times found that the governor raised more than $1 million from at least 50 individuals or business entities that donated $10,000 to Spitzer 2010, the governor’s campaign fund, and then far more than $10,000 through the state party. The two entities are housed in the same Manhattan office, one floor apart and connected by a spiral staircase.

In a number of cases, donors wrote consecutive checks to the two organizations. For instance, on July 7, Eric D. Hadar, a real estate developer, wrote a $10,000 check to Spitzer 2010 — check No. 4032 from his account — and then gave $94,200 on check 4033 to the state party, formally known as the New York State Democratic Committee. [NY Times]

Bruno's spokesperson John McArdle said: “From our standpoint, it’s not surprising....If it were a Republican, you’d have The New York Times and the League of Women Voters attacking him.”

Er, John....in case you didn't notice, it was the NY Times that broke the story. Try blasting the Albany Times-Union instead.

News and Notes - March 3

- NYRA needs another short-term extension. Didn't you think we were done with this? The agreement has still not been finalized, and the current extension expires on Thursday. Charles Hayward told the Form that NYRA did not expect to have its request denied. Let's not even go there!

- I took the advice of reader Glimmerglass and checked out Absolutely Cindy's win over the boys in the Battaglia. Absolutely Cindy (Arch) was not only dead last, but she had to be eleven wide turning for home. Don't want to start a Fountain of Youth controversy and get Randy Moss to whip out the ol' digital timer, but BRIS and the Form may want to double check their half mile time on their charts. The 46.78 half posted during the running of the race makes more sense to me than the 45.78 shown in the charts. That published fraction would mean that the second quarter of the race went in 22.18, which would be pretty quick. Absolutely Cindy got a career best Beyer of 89, and will return to the filly ranks in either the Boubonette, on the Lanes End undercard, or the Ashland.

Bruno Lets His Guard Down

- Don't miss the profile of Senator Bruno in New York Magazine. It's a wide-ranging, comprehensive, and surprisingly intimate look at the Senate Majority Leader, much of which is based on an interview conducted at his farm the day before his wife Bobby passed away. ““I don’t think she weighs 85 pounds. I don’t think she knows me anymore.”

Reporter Geoffrey Grey obviously gained Bruno's confidence and made him feel at ease. So much so, in fact, that Bruno spilled the beans on his gig at Wright Investors, his employment at which is a subject of the FBI's ongoing investigation and one which neither side would heretofore be specific about.

“I provided the entrée. In that business, the biggest problem is access. I provided access.” Bruno, who makes $121,000 a year in salary as majority leader, believes there is nothing improper about steering people he does business with in politics to open portfolios at Wright. There was no quid pro quo, he says. If Wright wanted to meet with trustees of a union looking to invest pension money, Bruno would make the phone calls. “My pitch to them was, ‘If you like what they have to say, take it to the next level. If you don’t, say good-bye.’ ” [New York Magazine]

Bruno's spokesperson criticized the article, but only in that the remarks were taken out of context and meant to be off the record.

“It is especially troubling that this reporter chose to misrepresent his intentions and violate trust and access given him at a time when Senator Bruno was dealing with difficult personal and family issues.” [NY Times]

I think it's certainly a fair argument that Bruno was particularly vulnerable at that point in time. Whether or not the reporter took advantage of that unfairly, we don't know. New York Magazine stood by the story; Bruno's office says they have tapes on which Grey agrees to keep certain aspects of the conversation off the record. [Daily Politics] Bruno also opens up about his worries about the FBI probe, laments his poor track record with investing (“Twelve years ago I was worth a hell of a lot more than I’m worth today"), and freely discusses his deep dislike for the Governor.

It's a great article, and I could go on all day reprinting the highlights, but the Village Voice already did. If you can't get to the whole story, at least check out Bruno's account of Spitzer storming out of his own office on this page.

Breeders' Cup Responds To Filly Friday Frenzy

- Breeders' Cup officials have responded to the overwhelmingly negative and, from some quarters, emotional reaction to the announcement of the change in format for this year's event which will see all of the filly and mare races shifted to Friday. I know that Breeders' Cup President Greg Avioli is not afraid of controversy, and that he feels that debate and dissent is good for publicity. However, I don't believe that the Breeders' Cup was prepared for the torrent of criticism that has resulted. Avioli told Bloodhorse that the change will transform Friday into what he sees as “true Breeders’ Cup championship racing.”

“Having watched one year with a Friday program, it was clear the day had significant potential....The concern was we did not want it to remain a set-up for Saturday’s program. The goal was for Friday’s program to be true Breeders’ Cup championship racing.”

“Change is hard in our industry," he added. The article reports that Friday's races will be expanded to a three-hour program on "ESPN." I will try to get clarification as to whether that means the main network, and not ESPN2. Breeders' Cup chief marketing officer Peter Land said that the Ladies' Classic will be run at 6:40 PM Eastern time, which he called a “dream scenario. From a sports perspective on a Friday evening, we’re not really competing against much.”

Well, there goes my idea about having a prime-time showing of the races. However, October 24 does fall smack in the middle of the World Series. And although the Series does not schedule games for Friday night, it is possible that a rainout would cause the races to go squarely up against the Fall Classic if they were scheduled later; and that obviously would not be good. Still, while there surely will be no competition at 6:40 PM, that's not a time when prospective or casual fans would be expected to be sitting in front of a TV.

I got an email from Chip Tuttle, the Breeders' Cup's marketing consultant (who moonlights as the COO of Suffolk Downs), with a more detailed explanation of the move; he wrote that he was "amazed at the passion of the reaction in some parts." I present it here with no further comment. That, I will leave to you (but please be respectful):

Why the change?

Breeders' Cup wanted to strengthen the Friday card. There was a lot of discussion and several models, but giving the best females their own spotlight won the day. It will lead to stronger attendance and wagering on Friday, improved television and media coverage and a true championship day for people, some of whom can engage on Friday and not Saturday.

The idea of having the female races on one day and the open races on the other has been successful at other major events (e.g., Oaks-Derby). Similarly, major tennis events and other sports have staggered their male and female championships over two days to help generate media for both categories of champions. I guarantee you the winner of the Ladies' Classic will get more mainstream media coverage this year than any year since Personal Ensign.

(Aside: I think the change from Distaff to Ladies' Classic triggered much of the reaction from the traditionalists. Also, on that front, no one from Breeders' Cup called it "Ladies Day." That was a media reaction. "Filly Friday" was considered but Breeders' Cup has not titled the day.)

The new format also helps remind the public that the event is bigger than one race, the Classic, and helps us broaden understanding of the different divisions and scope of Breeders' Cup.

This wasn't done on a whim by a bunch of guys on the BC Board. The process was deliberate and included a focus group of leading female and male sports marketing and horse racing executives. Keep in mind that the event has very low unaided awareness with the general public -- even self-identified sports fans who wager. The Distaff is a great name and has great heritage for the 3-5% who follow the sport on a regular basis (and who make up the passionate readers of the Thoroughbred blogoshpere). We have to look toward the other 95 percent like any other sport/brand that needs to bring in new audiences.

At the end of the day, the new format deserves a chance to succeed.

Excuse But No Excuse

- The Sham was a tremendous race, with Colonel John and El Gato Malo finishing furiously in deep stretch. The latter stayed up close to the slow pace, but not close enough, as the winner rumbled home from the six furlong marker in 23.92, and then 11.88 for the final eighth; that's 35.8 for the last three eighths if you don't feel like doing the math. El Gato Malo was in a tight spot turning for home as noted by Trevor Denman, and David Flores said that he lost important time.

"You just have to wait. You move soon, and you might get beat. So I just had to wait and wait and hopefully the others make a run early. But they waited until the quarter-pole, and it was hard for my horse to do it." [San Bernardino Sun]

However, it must be pointed out that Flores and the 7-10 favorite suddenly found themselves in the clear, three wide, turning for home. Not really evident from the replay whether Mike Smith, who kept the favorite boxed in aboard Reflect Times, drifted out to allow that move, or if Flores simply bulled out and made his own room. In any event though, El Gato Malo had every opportunity to catch Colonel John from that point on, and was simply outgamed. And one can never assume what will happen in a race once a horse draws on even terms with a rival in the stretch. So I'm going to say that the best horse won, and we'll give El Gato Malo a chance to turn the tables in the Santa Anita Derby.

If, that is, Colonel John (Tiznow) is ready for that race. Interesting comment here by his trainer Eoin Harty:

"All horses are individuals and he's an attractive horse, but he's a very light-framed horse....He puts a lot into his works and he puts a lot into his races. He'll lighten up considerably off this, so I don't think he would have handled three races prior to the Derby."

Therefore, assuming that the colt rebounds for the SA Derby, that would be his second and final prep for a possible Derby appearance.

- If you compare the fractions of the Sham with that of the Santa Anita Handicap, you'll see just how fast of a pace that Monterrey Jazz set in the latter (and, conversely, how slow the Sham was). Yes, the Big Cap is for older horses, but it was a mile and a quarter versus the nine furlong Sham; so you'd think those factors might even out a bit. But the Big Cap went 46.89 and 1:10.11, while Victory Pete crawled along at 50.04 and 1:14.35! So it was only a matter of time before Monterrey Jazz surrendered his 12 length lead, and little surprise that he staggered home 12th.

“They told me the harder you pull on him, the faster he is going to go,” [Russell Baze] added. “So I was trying to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He just went.” [San Diego Union-Tribune]

I'm not sure what Jerry Hollendorfer has done with Heatseeker that Frankel couldn't, but the horse has come a long way from his days of getting distracted in the stretch, and he's all business now. He was closer to the torrid pace than the 2nd through 5th place finishers, but had no problem holding off Go Between for his first Grade 1 win in Hollendorfer's first-ever Big Cap start.

- Quite a decent claim for trainer Mike Mitchell, who took Ever A Friend for $62,500 from the Clement barn two races back. Not only did he win his second race since then in as many tries - they're both stakes, and Saturday's was the G1 Kilroe Mile - the horse also successfully stretched out to a mile after racing exclusively at sprints. How does the trainer do it, some might want to know?

- And, as my regular readers know, I don't resort to crude profanity too much here. But I don't know what else to say other than that Daaher was shit in the Stymie at the Big A on Saturday. Bad job by the rider getting involved in a first quarter of 22.26; worse job by the horse fading meekly in the stretch and getting beat by two horses with ordinary form. The winner, Malibu Moonshine, may now be the futures book favorite for the BC Marathon.

Saturday Morning Ramblings - March 1

- I was getting into a really nice handicapping groove before going on vacation and having my laptop crash; add in the impending nuptials, and I've really gone off track. Too bad, because I was actually cashing some tickets and, maybe even better, sounding (on occasion anyway) like a real smart guy. But now, with a week to go until the wedding, my ability to concentrate on betting races is rather small. I feel like I'd have a better chance of figuring out the primary/caucus system in Texas than being able to decipher that Big Cap later today.

So, if you don't mind, I'm just gonna ramble on for a little bit about whatever comes to mind, and then get back to the matters at hand.

Pletcher took Friday's 9th at Gulfstream with first timer Fujita, and I know I haven't written much about the day-to-day racing at GP like I've done in the past. Looking at the entries and results every day, it's just so apparent how the quality of racing there has declined. Claimers and starter allowances seem to overwhelm the cards on a daily basis, even on weekends. Friday's card featured three maiden claimers, three beaten claimers, one open claimer, an allowance and the aforementioned maiden special finale. You look at the purses, and they're not chump change - over $215K on Friday - but it's apparently no longer enough to lure kind of horses - at least in terms of depth - that we used to see. I used to get a Saratoga feeling on many days there. (Then again, I used to get a Saratoga feeling at Saratoga before the days of those state-bred maiden claimers..)

As I said, I'm just rambling here, and compiling music for the wedding as I write. The Head Chef is truly terrified that I might empty the joint with my musical tastes. And you know what? She could be right. But I'm trying to be reasonable, and letting the kids have some say as well.

Back to Fujita, the Toddster pulled this one over at 8-1 when the three-year old colt prevailed in extremely game fashion after a long stretch duel; and he was used hard every step of the way. Fujita is a son of Lion Hearted (Storm Cat) who sold for $105,000 at Timonium last year; that as opposed to the sire's $3,500 stud fee. So the colt obviously showed some promise in the under tack show, which he displayed in his debut, albeit on a delayed basis.

Lion Hearted is also the sire of Control System, his only graded stakes winner in this, his fifth year of stallion-dom. But he is one of the leading stallions in Maryland; he was fifth on the regional sire list last year, stands second this year, and he's the top Storm Cat sire in the state. Fujita is out of a mare by the BC Mile winner Opening Verse and descends from the distaff family of the Grade 1 winner Roses Cantina.

- Understatement is another recent first-time graduate for Pletcher; he earned a 97 Beyer as the 6-5 favorite in his Feb 7 debut, which I posted about here. He's listed as the 2-1 favorite in the 8th at Gulfstream today, and probably figures to be lower off his connections and fig. However, keep in mind that he's stretching out from six to nine furlongs, as owner Winstar is perhaps fishing for a Derby horse. It's also, of course, his first try against winners. So let's keep an eye on Nistle's Crunch, never out of the money in five tries for Ken McPeek; including a third in a Santa Anita turf stakes from which the first two finishers returned to win. He's run well on Poly, grass, and dirt, and should give a good account of himself here.

Winstar starts Colonel John in the Sham Stakes out at Santa Anita. It's an interesting little race out in the Cushion Track division. A lot of handicappers aren't going to know what to do with the horses who come out of California and go on to the Derby without having run on natural dirt. Already reading a lot of angst about that. Personally, I'm going to completely ignore and disregard it, and treat them just like any other horses. I haven't seen a dramatic enough difference in form between dirt and the Cushion Track surfaces to get all bent out of shape by it; nor to have it distract me from the fundamentals (any more so than I will already be). We might not know for sure if they can handle the Churchill track; but I think you can say that about any horse running over it for the first time. And besides, we don't know if any of them can get the distance anyway. The Derby is all about horses doing things for the first time - distance, crowds, a large field; and if the bettors are going to disregard a sharp, fast horse on the basis of synthetic-form only, then I'll be happy to pick up the pieces and take the value.

Anyway, Reflect Times closed well enough against a slow early pace in his two turn debut to merit consideration in the Sham; but I don't know that he'll find the fractions much more to his liking here. In any event, I find it hard to look past El Gato Malo in this spot. He's been able to thus far, in his three starts, adapt to whatever is thrown his way, having won short and long, in fast-paced races and slow ones. You can say that he's had good trips, but I think he's made his own trips to an extent, staying close to a slow crawl in the Gold Rush, and hanging back during the absurdly fast fractions of the San Rafael. I'm not at all convinced on breeding that he's a mile and a quarter horse, but I'd think he can handle this assignment at nine furlongs.

- And Mac is back in town:



It was on this first generation IMac that I started Left at the Gate. It's now been rendered nearly useless by the passage of time and technology. Someone once tried to upgrade the operating system, but it couldn't handle it. So I'm stuck on OS 9.3 or something like that. It can only handle ancient browsers such as Internet Explorer 5.1, Netscape Navigator 4.6, and something called Opera 6.01. As you might imagine, there aren't many websites that are still functional using those (one exception is the always reliable BRIS.com)! I don't really know what to do with it, but don't have the heart to throw it out.

But now, after the untimely death of my PC laptop, the Mac is back. Thanks to all that wrote in with laptop advice, but after just a couple of days using the Head Chef's Mac Book, I knew that's what I had to have. And this is the first post that I'm writing on it. It will be a few days still until I have it loaded up with the software I need to run Windows, so that I can get re-Formulator'd. But at least I don't have to beg for computer time anymore.

Bloomberg On OTB Offensive

- Senator Bruno was in the city on Thursday, and met with Mayor Bloomberg. The Daily Politics reports that NYC OTB was on the agenda; and that Bloomberg also brought up the subject at a bipartisan dinner at Gracie Mansion last night. The fate of the state's OTB's, not just NYC's, is of course the other shoe lead boot yet to drop from the franchise debate. You gotta wonder if it would even still be a matter of discussion if not for the Mayor's threat to shut NYC OTB down, so we probably can thank the non-presidential candidate for that. The larger issue of consolidating the OTB's is, as you may recall, supposed to be considered by some committee by next spring....but will that still occur in the increasingly likely event that Bruno is no longer the Majority Leader by that time?

June 15 is the stated deadline for shutting down the 73 parlors; but remember that the budget deadline is March 31; so if the state is going to give up revenue, chances are it may have to be settled by then. Already we're starting to read romanticized eulogies to the sleazy shops; and indeed, here's one parlor in Queens that has already shut its doors. As you probably know, the Mayor and NYC-OTB are seeking relief from the payments and fees to the industry and state that they claim are eating up the $125 million or so of net profit from the more than $1 billion in wagers it handles.

- NYRA chairman C. Steven Duncker is profiled in the Public Lives column in today's NY Times. He takes the opportunity to remind us that the franchise deal is not a......

Mr. Duncker estimates the worth of the property at $1.5 billion. “So you can’t call the $105 million a bailout. If you’re the state, it looks like a pretty good deal for you. Let’s just say that if I was at Goldman Sachs and made that trade, they wouldn’t like it. But the bottom line is, if N.Y.R.A. hadn’t cleaned up its act, none of this would ever have happened,” he says.

Duncker also decries the stalling by the Pataki Administration that helped kill the MGM racino; I don't recall reading anything regarding NYRA dropping its lawsuit on that matter as part of the agreement. Perhaps that's one of the issues that still needs to be worked out in order to finalize the deal. He also says, of OTB: “It’s a broken business model; even Jack Welch couldn’t run OTB in New York and make it turn a profit.”

I wasn't aware that Duncker was a part owner of Bates Motel, who won the Santa Anita Handicap in 1983. That was a 17 horse field, and this Saturday's renewal, with 14 entrants, will match the largest field since then if all go to the post. It's a wonderfully wackily wide open field, as evidenced by the fact that the morning line favorite, Awesome Gem, is listed at 4-1. I'd venture a guess that I watched Bates Motel win that race, perhaps on ABC? But on the NTRA website, regarding tomorrow's race, it reads simply - TV: [blank]. As in, none. Some will see it if HRTV is still in business. I betcha that the NHL Network would carry it if it was the NTRA Network instead. But the idea of an industry-run network, something all of the major team sports now have (and yes, hockey is a major team sport, in my house at least) is one we'll save for another time. The pp's for the Big Cap are here.

- Just wait one second proclaims a couple of editorials in Pennsylvania in response to some talk by state legislators at the Pennsylvania Gaming Congress about bringing table games to the state. Both pieces cite, for one thing, the indictment of Mt. Airy Lodge owner Louis DeNaples for allegedly lying to state gambling regulators about past ties to organized crime.

But at least one state Senator feels that Pennsylvania already has a form of table games.

Sen. Patrick Browne, R-Lehigh, quizzed gaming regulators about virtual blackjack games that are allowed in Pennsylvania casinos.

The Gaming Control Board last year legalized video blackjack, which simulates the real game by allowing multiple players to sit before an electronic image of a dealer. Traditional table games with a human dealer are prohibited in Pennsylvania.
.....
[Browne] said it’s an “obvious stretch” to say lawmakers intended the virtual games in slots halls. [LDNews.com]

But gaming commission chairperson Mary DiGiacomo Colins said “It’s basically a video game."

The gaming board has said virtual games can be legal if the odds are random and one player’s decisions do not affect another’s odds.

News and Notes and Curlin!

- Many thanks to reader Nate for posting this link to a replay of Curlin's tuneup in Dubai today; click on Race 5, the Jaguar Trophy. And as Nate pointed out, in case you can't access the video for some reason, Robby Albarado was absolutely still throughout in what was nothing but a jog. And remember that he was conceding ample weight to the others in the field. Next up is the World Cup on March 29.

- Here's a report from a local New Jersey paper regarding a threat by Republican State Senator Jennifer Beck, whose constituency includes Monmouth County, to "fast track" a bill to permit 10,000 (!!) VLT's at the Meadowlands should the Casino Association of New Jersey not agree to a new subsidy package by next week.

Beck said she recently spoke to Senate President Richard Codey, Deputy Majority Leader Sen. Paul Sarlo, both Democrats, and a CANJ representative. During the conference call, the CANJ alleged Gov. Jon Corzine's office is responsible for the delay, she said.

"I don't know where the truth lies," Beck said.

Beck said that Codey would allow her to post legislation for VLTs if the issue is not resolved soon.

"The absence of CANJ support, to me, means we shouldmove forward [with VLTs] immediately," she said. [Examiner]

If you've been following the budget travails of Governor Jon Corzine, who proposed drastic cuts in state spending and employment in a coolly-received address the other day, you know that the racing industry ain't getting a dime from the state; I'd read earlier reports that the casinos wanted the state to kick in part of the subsidy. Corzine, a Democrat, has also been trying to sell massive toll increases in a desperate attempt to raise revenue; yet he remains "adamantly against" VLTs at the tracks. Once again, the slots issue seems to vary in its party partisanship from state to state. Tom Luchento, the head of the state's standardbred horsemen's group, claims that VLT's would generate $2 billion annually; but Corzine seems to want no part of slot machine kool-aid.

But even should a bill pass (and it's always been my understanding that the casinos have the political clout to prevent that), Senator Beck points out that the tracks would still need short term support, to the tune of $30 million over the next three years. "In my opinion, the money should come out of the casinos' pockets." Good luck with that should slots get approved!!

A couple of readers (or perhaps the same one) have queried whether slots at the Meadowlands would activate the clause in the NY franchise/racino bill that would provide a higher slice of VLT revenues for a racino if "a gaming facility of any nature in a “contiguous state” is established “within a midpoint of 30 miles.” Well? It certainly would appear as if the literal answer is yes. I doubt, however, that a higher rate for Aqueduct and Yonkers is what the author of that clause had in mind.

- The Kentucky casino amendment moved successfully out of the reconstituted House committee; this is the version that would require the state's tracks to compete for up to five racino licenses, as opposed to another which would have guaranteed them.

Nick Nicholson, president of Keeneland, said last night that the industry believes it doesn't have enough protection in the bill that passed yesterday.

"We preferred the amendment that the committee preferred (Tuesday)," he said. "But we'll be meeting … and soul-searching for our next moves." [Louisville Courier-Journal]

But Michael at Curb Your Enthusiasm hears that fewer than 50 democrats can be counted on to support the Richards measure.

Apparently allies of Speaker Pro-Tem Larry Clark and House Whip Rob Wilkey, as well as members with racetracks in or near their districts, find themselves unable to support the new measure.

60 votes are required for the amendment to proceed to the Senate.

- Michael Veitch, in a somewhat self-fulfilling piece in the Saratogian, writes of the increasing comparisons of War Pass to Seattle Slew; and notes that, like the 1977 Triple Crown champ, Zito's colt has some pedigree on his side.

War Pass is also blessed with a powerful female family. His mother, Vue, has also produced Spinaway Stakes winner Oath in 1996. Her great-grandmother is champion Bayou, who finished second in the Coaching Club American Oaks. Bayou is the mother of Alluvial, who produced Belmont Stakes winner

Coastal and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Slew o’ Gold. [Saratogian]

I'd read before last weekend that Zito spent some time watching some of Slew's races; don't know if he showed them to War Pass too! That would remind me of when Mike Keenan showed tapes of past ticker tape parades to the Rangers as one of his first acts as coach before the 1994 Stanley Cup season!

Zito may be doing more than just watching and fantasizing though. A look at Seattle Slew's preparation for the Derby shows that Nick is taking a similar approach; with certain differences dictated by the different eras. Slew ran three times prior to Churchill - a seven furlong allowance race at Hialeah on March 9; the G1 Flamingo at the same track on the 26th; and the Wood on April 23rd. The latter was just two weeks before the Derby, which we'll probably certainly never again see in our lifetimes. But Seattle Slew's preparation was not at all dissimilar, in relative terms, to War Pass' planned campaign of three preps, which will continue with the Tampa Bay Derby and the Wood.

Hunch Bets For Thursday, Feb 28

Yes It's Bull 9th at Oaklawn
Its A Whopper 6th at Aqueduct
He's So Feisty 1st at Charles Town

Ladies Merit Equal Billing

- This is the greatest race I've ever seen.



There have been even closer finishes; and there was no Triple Crown at stake. But the drama of the great racemare (she was not an Eclipse champion until after her subsequent retirement) toiling on a wet racetrack she did not like, trying to go out undefeated in her 13th and final start, seemingly beaten with the Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors winging it on an uncontested lead.... Did any of you think she had a shot in the world at the quarter pole? The eighth pole? The sixteenth pole? It was, given the epic drama of the situation, and as I said, the greatest race I've ever seen.

However, if the Distaff had been run on a Friday afternoon that year, or even early evening, as will now be the case in its new incarnation as the Ladies' Classic (I wonder if they'll have any copyright issues with that), its quite possible that I would have been stuck at work, or on the E train trying to get home, and not been able to watch that all-time classic live. Or, back then in 1988, perhaps I would have found a crowded, smoke-filled OTB, or somehow happened upon a bar that was willing to put on horse racing.

I'm reminded of a column that Steve Crist wrote in December in reaction to the three new races to be introduced this year:

Yet the dominant reaction seems to be that this sextet is a dark development for American racing that in some way dilutes or detracts from the "real" Breeders' Cup the next afternoon. That will be the case only if the Breeders' Cup makes one of two mistakes with these new races going forward: attempts to brand them as global championships, or lobbies for a raft of new Eclipse Awards to make actual champions out of the leaders of secondary divisions in the sport. [Daily Racing Form, sub. only]

I think that the Breeders' Cup is in danger of running afoul of the first of those conditions by intermixing consolation races such as the Dirt Mile or the Marathon with the real things. It of course remains to be seen how the Breeders' Cup and ESPN will present the day's races, and perhaps they'll be billed as preliminary affairs. But I'd guess that they won't be. [I'd be interested in getting some futures odds on the Marathon being won by a horse who'd won for a claiming tag of $40K or less in the prior 12 months, and is trained by Gary Contessa or Richard Dutrow]

Crist argued that the races should be kept separate, and that Friday's races should not be referred to as World Championship races.

The unwieldy and unjustified extended name should be quietly dropped in general, and certainly never raised in connection with the new races. They are interesting little events for specialists outside the mainstream, and no one would have the slightest objection to Friday's Turf Sprint or Marathon if they were named for landmarks or famous horses.

It's not out of the question that one of the new races will some day produce a truly memorable moment. But I'd agree that none of them (with the possible potential exception of the F&M Sprint) are championship caliber. And now, at least three races that truly are will be run on Friday. That could make them far less accessible, especially to those who won't be putting forth the effort to seek them out, and threatens to make the Ladies second class citizens.

Or, maybe not. At least for the next two years anyway. Because, even though I'd still prefer to have the true championship races segregated and run on Saturday, the fact that the races are on the West Coast gives the Breeders' Cup and ESPN the opportunity to present a prime time extravaganza. Since there are only five races on Friday, they could start as late as 4:30 local time. 7:30 for us; not so early for those of you out west, but I guess you guys are used to that, eh? (I never adjusted to the time zone when I was at Del Mar this past summer, because I'd get to the track and it would be the 9th from Saratoga on TV. I was stuck on Eastern Track Time.) But back here, the races could go on until 9:30 or 10.

I wrote last year that the Breeders' Cup would have been well served by a prime time lead-in, perhaps at half time of Monday Night Football, and here's a great opportunity to not only have a preview of the big races, but some of the real thing. Is there a grand plan for ESPN to give up a night of World Series talk or preseason NBA games in order to carry a night of championship racing? Hopefully with online contests to encourage non-fans to join the action for free? BC President Greg Avioli said: "The initial response from the Breeders' Cup family, including ESPN, our marketing partners, nominators, and Trustees has been extremely supportive and enthusiastic." But will ESPN be supportive and enthusiastic enough to promote the Friday card from ESPN2 to the main stage and make it the big deal that it should be? And in prime time as it could be?

News and Notes - Feb 27

- The Fasig Tipton sale at Calder suffered declines across the board.

This year's edition of the auction, held Tuesday, Feb. 26, at Calder Race Course, suffered downturns from 2007 of 17.7% and 19.5%, respectively, in the number of horses sold and gross revenue. The average price declined 2.2%, and the median price fell 8%. [Bloodhorse]

I know that my loyal reader Onecalicocat is really psyched about the Smarty Jones progeny making their debuts this year. However, the buyers at the Fasig Tipton sale weren't so enamored with the Smarty offerings; and the Derby-Preakness winner had a bad day. He had five entered, of which three were declared out, and the other two didn't meet their reserves with total bids of just $155K. Last year, 34 of his yearlings sold for an average of just over $200K, double his $100K stud fee.

The fortunes of Fusachi Pegasus may have waned of late in terms of stud fee (down from a high of $150K to the present $45K) and U.S. graded stakes winners (Ravel in 2007, and before that.....Bandini?). But he had quite a good day - four of his five foals to make it to the ring sold, bringing a total of $2.1 million; including a colt who sold for an even million. Hip 73 is out of Silver Tornado, a Maria's Mon half to Roman Ruler/El Corredor/Maimonides; not sure how well that bodes for this million dollar baby's feet. And where the hell is Maimonides anyway (other than now being with either Mott or Asmussen)?

First year sire Speightstown, who's been getting some good press, had four out of four in the ring sell (seven others were OUT). Those four brought a total of $3.005 million, including Hip 254, who went for $1.7 million to Coolmore. The colt is out of La Comete, a Holy Bull half sister, out of G1 winner La Gueriere, to Lasting Approval. Last year, 54 of the sire's yearlings averaged over $180K, not bad for his $40,000 stud fee.

- The Breeders' Cup, no doubt thanks to pressure from the TBA, has announced a major format change which will see all five of the filly and mare races shifted to Friday...and the name of the Distaff changed to the Ladies' Classic. It will officially be Ladies Day! Remember when baseball used to have ladies' days, with reduced admission for the distaff set? I don't think that women will get in for free. But the Breeders' Cup seems set to go all out to promote the concept, including cause-related programs focused on women’s health.

It all sounds quite noble. Except for one thing: Does it really serve the distaff divisions well to shift all of their championship races to a weekday on which virtually nobody will be watching?