Aussies in Cowboy Hats

- As a reader brought to our attention the other day, Bill Finley, writing in the NY Times, had a more detailed account of Gov Spitzer's "What Difference Does It Make" comment, though it's still a secondhand account via Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer.

“I spoke briefly with the governor when we had a breakfast with the Queens delegation, and I brought up the fact that Aqueduct was very important to the community and the state,” she said. “I told him it would be detrimental to close it.

Ms. Pheffer continued: “His comment was that people want to put up hotels and convention centers there, and what’s the difference if horses run there or not. I told him there is a big difference. It’s important for our community and for horse racing that it remain open.” [NY Times]

That of course strikes at the whole concept of slots parlors being tied to racetracks, both to justify them legally, and to have them benefit (subsidize) the tracks; and as I said before, it's a question that a lot of casino companies are going to start to ask should Aqueduct ever turn into a slots-only location.

Paul Post has some sentiment from state legislatures that, with only 22 working days left in the present legislative session, the governor needs to extend NYRA's franchise and avoid making any rash decisions.

"There's no sense of urgency from the governor's office and I'm disappointed," [said Assemblyman Roy J. McDonald, R-Wilton]. "This is very important. It makes me nervous. Are we going to get this at the last minute? I don't think anything's going to happen. We've got so many different things the legislature is expected to do."

McDonald said Spitzer should give legislators time to take his proposal back to constituents to get feedback on whatever course of action he chooses. [The Saratogian]

- Last week we discussed Capital Play's idea to make the tracks a big party destination for young people as they apparently are in Australia, and here's an anecdote from my trip to Nashville that may (or may not) be relevant. While waiting for the flight, I went over to a bar to check out the Mets-Yankees game, but it was packed with travelers waiting for their delayed flights to leave. There was one loud group in particular, and it was an ominous sign for our flight that many were wearing cowboy hats, oh man. Sure enough, when we finally boarded, here they came. And their accents quickly made it apparent that the group was from Down Under. Yes, Aussies in Cowboy Hats.

And they were having a grand old time. I always like to see people having fun. But others who were stuck at the airport far longer than me were not amused at all. Especially when they broke out into a chorus of Take Me Home, Country Road. I saw one couple walking down the aisle away from them during the taxi to the runway; in other circumstances, that would be worth an armed escort off the plane, but in this case, the sympathetic crew found them other seats. (By sheer coincidence, they turned out to be guests at the wedding, and they shared their tale of woe.)

The point of the story is to once again emphasize the fact that Australia is not New York; it's a different place and a different culture, and what is effective there in getting people to the track may not necessarily work here. I'm pretty confident that you will never hear a group of twenty something-year old New Yorkers singing John Denver songs while Leaving on a Jet Plane, or anywhere else, no matter how much or what they have drank, smoked, or injected. In fact, I dare you to find more than a dozen New Yorkers who would even know the lyrics. So while Capital Play's idea is intriguing and even exciting, they may be on a Rocky Mountain High to think it will work over here.

Sightseeing Takes Shorter Route

- Sightseeing won the Peter Pan at Belmont on Sunday for Shug McGaughey, and the patience of Edgar Prado was on full display. He was dead last down the backstretch in the field of six as Hal's My Hope and Pletcher's dead-on-the-board Soaring By battled it out up front. Johnny V bypassed the latter for 14-1 Prom Shoes, who tracked the pace along with Fearless Vision. Prado inched Sightseeing up a bit on the backstretch. But on the turn, as Velazqeuz went three wide with Prom Shoes, and Garrett Gomez four wide with Fearless Vision, Prado remained in the two path, even backing back to last momentarily.

Many times you'll see horses that are hung wide on that long turn emerge with the lead coming into the stretch, but more times than not they end up paying the piper for the lost ground in the end. Prom Shoes opened up a lead with Hal's My Hope in second, and Sightseeing looked like anything but the winner at the eighth pole. But horse and rider persisted, and managed to get his head in front in the final stride, very reminiscent of another close finish we saw this past weekend. It was a war of attrition at the end, and I don't think Sightseeing accelerated past his rivals as much as it was a case of those two tiring at the end. The Peter Pan is a traditional Belmont prep, but I don't see this son of Pulpit trying the mile and a half (as confirmed by Mr. Ed's account of Shug's post-race interview).

- Highland Cat is entered in the seventh on Thursday, another 35K event for non-winners of two. The partnership is mentioning a long vacation at Colonial Downs for the grey cutie if he proves unable to handle this kind of company here, so the pressure is on. Bill Mott is dropping Exton sharply in class from allowance company, and he would seem to be the main rival; I'll take a closer look at the race as the day approaches, and the weather outlook looks promising for turf racing this week.

- Jimmy Jerkens wins with an astounding 39% of his second time starters over the last two years - 18 for 46, with a median price of $8.20. Partida brought that payoff number down with his $2.90 payoff in the second at Belmont on Sunday. The daughter of Derby winner Monarchos is a half-sister to the upset Belmont winner Sarava.

Nashville

- We're back from Nashville, and the return flight was only around 40 minutes late this time, all spent circling over New Jersey while some storms passed over LaGuardia. We ended up flying in over Lower Manhattan, and right up the East River, a route I don't ever recall taking before. It was quite a sight, but rather eerie too given the events of more than 5 1/2 years ago.

We had a great time in Nashville. The people there couldn't be more hospitable, including those who emailed me with advice, all of which proved to be helpful. The wedding took place in a beautiful private home that the owners rent out for ceremonies. There, I was reminded a bit of the one time I've been in LA. It was a business trip, and I was staying at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills (after a stop at Hollywood Park). When I went to the hotel bar on Saturday night, I noticed that every snippet of conversation that drifted my way had to do with the film industry; I felt as if I was in a movie myself. Similarly, it seemed that everyone at the wedding was talking about their latest music project, the one they hope will get them the big break.

Now it's true that both the bride and groom are talented singer-songwriters themselves, so naturally they had friends in the industry. But several of them had migrated to Nashville, drawn by the perceived opportunities that come with being in the center of the action. The aspiring musicians there reminded me of people in the racing business whether as owners, part-owners, and bettors and fans alike. Both music and horsepeople are passionate about succeeding at the pursuit they love, and for many, their chosen path is very much a way of life. And it's also true that for most of them in both businesses, success is elusive, and many toil on for years with little, if any tangible profits to show.

The music festival I referred to the other day turned out to be a Christian music festival, with some old fashion revival stuff by the event organizer Luis Palau. Oh man. They were expecting a huge crowd, but it seemed as if the city shut off about 1 1/2 blocks more than necessary and, in fact, it seemed less crowded downtown than it did on Friday. I considered stopping in one of the prayer tents in the hope of some luck at the track, but decided to pass. Instead, we checked out a few clubs - including Tootsie's, Robert's Western World, The Stage - and sampled a few of the bands. Country music, in all honestly, isn't my cup of tea, and I would have much preferred to be at the Bright Eyes concert around the block; but that was a non-starter with the Head Chef.

We got up early on Sunday, checked out, and took a drive to the Loveless Motel and Cafe for breakfast, and then onto the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art. Cheekwood is a massive property featuring a grand mansion which has been converted to a museum while retaining many of the original details. And there were beautiful gardens and some cool outdoor sculpture. I'll leave you with a small gallery of photos, and I'll be back to resume our regularly scheduled programming shortly.

A Smile Turns to A Grimace

- I don't know that the Preakness was quite as compelling as the 1997 edition that I referred to the other day. But this year's edition was a remarkable race in its own right, with two extraordinary performances by two fine three-year olds. The final time of 1:53.46 was the fastest since Louis Quartorze ran 1:53.43 in 1996; and just the second time since Summer Squall in 1990 that the 1:54 mark was broken. Expressed in fifths, it ties the track record held by the aforementioned and Tank's Prospect

Street Sense once again showed the push-button acceleration that carried him effortlessly past rivals in the Derby and Juvenile, proving that he's not just a horse for the Churchill rail. No sooner did Tom Durkin note that he was still 12 lengths behind, he took off again, saving ground on the turn before swinging out and splitting Curlin to his ouside, and C P West and Hard Spun to his inside to take command.

We all remember the classic TV moment from 1990 when Carl Nafzger told Mrs. Genter that she had won the Kentucky Derby. On Saturday, Nafzger provided another memorable moment captured on camera, but one that he would rather soon forget. I hope you all got to see this, because it really reflected the unlikely nature of what occured. When Street Sense passed his rivals, Nafzger gave a little poke to owner James Tafel, and broke into the kind of smile that only one who is absolutely certain of victory would display. It was probably very similar to the look on my face as I felt that I had picked my first Triple Crown race winner on this blog, not caring if it was a 6-5 favorite. I actually stopped watching Street Sense and Curlin at that point, and, hoping to hit the trifecta, looked behind for Circular Quay, who just certainly had to be coming after those fast opening fractions, right?

Of course, Nafzger's smile slowly - very slowly - changed to one of concern, and then inverted into the frown of a man who knew he had lost. Curlin just kept coming, and it's too bad that we were not able to get a close-up look at Calvin Borel's face when he peeked behind and saw Curlin right at his flank, as I'm sure that would have been a classic as well.

Curlin overcame an early stumble, and was being hustled along by Robbie Alvarado down the backstretch. He was also widest of all around the turn, and didn't switch leads until midstretch. In overcoming those obstacles, he was clearly the best horse in the race. But the best horse doesn't always win, and I have to say that I, like reader Kevin, do wonder if Borel's peek behind may have cost him the race. Both rider and trainer said that the Derby winner seemed to lose concentration after getting the lead; but Gary Stevens said that the same might be said of Curlin once he swept around the two leaders on the turn.

So there is no taking away from Curlin's incredible effort. We rarely see a horse passed in the stretch so convincingly and come back to win. Borel said that when he made his move, Albarado was "riding already and I was sitting, so I thought he was finished." But the winning rider said that "he knew I had horse left." He may have been the only one in the track who felt that way! Albarado told the Washington Post: "He started out like a 2-year-old and finished like a 5-year-old."

As for some others, Donna Brothers noted that Velazquez warmed Circular Quay up hard, and she and Stevens speculated that he perhaps just wanted to make sure that the colt did not do exactly what he ended up doing - losing contact with the field. His was a disappointing effort again, and this time without a clear excuse. Hard Spun seemed to be doing the right thing early, sitting off the blistering first half of 45.75; but he and Mario Pino then proceeded to make a big middle move, getting to the lead in six furlongs of 1:09.80. Whether or not that was the horse's or the rider's choice, I think it essentially doomed his chances. Hard Spun is talented, but he just doesn't seem rateable.

Flying First Class finished dead last, and anyone who can read the Form PP's could have told you that based on his prior two turn tries against Curlin. When asked on NBC prior to the race whether the colt would shoot for the front, Lukas said no; that he would have something to say about the pace, but that he wouldn't get crazy. Yet, that's exactly what he did with predictable results (and did you really believe him anyway?). Let's hope that this colt is spotted better from this point on.

- As far as the Belmont goes, the result was another disappointment for NYRA, which is not having a very good spring. They'll be no Triple Crown for the third straight year, and likely no Derby winner either. When asked about the final jewel, Nafzger asked "What's the point?" [AP] But Curlin apparently will go if he's OK.

Music City Notes

- We're in Nashville! Our flight was 2 1/2 hours late, though we knew of the delay early, so were able to wait at home. When we arrived at the gate, you could immediately see the "we've been freaking sitting here for three hours" look on peoples' faces. We didn't get here until after 11PM local time, but still took a drive downtown to check out the scene. And what a scene it is, man! We'll go back and check out a couple of the joints and check out some music tonight. We noticed a couple of places where older people seemed to look comfortable and will likely gravitate towards those. There's also some kind of festival going on, and there was a huge stage at one end of Broadway.

You don't have to travel very far in this country to be in a different world. Imagine, strangers greeting you effusively, PEOPLE SMOKING CIGARETTES IN BARS AND HOTEL LOBBIES! Egads!

Thanks to everyone for all the Preakness feedback. For a race with only seven nine entrants, three of those most of us are disregarding - though Xchanger seems to have picked up a little support - it's turned into a quite fascinating little affair. Now, I'm hoping that the affair that the Head Chef and I are attending today will be over early enough to make it back here to the hotel for the race. The bride's stepfather is a major addict himself - he owns a little house in Saratoga, and charges the same five bucks for parking each day, including the Travers - so he and I will be seeking out a TV should the party run late.

Final thoughts - I'm sticking with Street Sense over the Pletchers, with a little Curlin on the side. Mr. Ed pointed out that Haskin did indeed kinda sorta pick Circular Quay to win; but he did qualify it with the "looking at the race strictly by value" line. And I don't disagree with the readers who question King of the Roxy's ability to get the distance, but I just feel he's sitting on a big race.

Pletcher once again takes the big filly race, this time winning the Black-Eyed Susan with Panty Raid. I well recall her taking her first race at Saratoga last summer at 4-1, with her name eliciting some tittering from the crowd. The Toddster is going to win a Triple Crown race one of these days...

It's an hour earlier here, so I was surprised to see that it's already the 4th at Pimlico, and it's only 10:40 local time! Our wedding is at noon, so I gotta go, but just an observation on the Dixie Stakes, the 10th on the day. This is a wide open race that will no doubt present some major value. Einstein ran one of the monster races of the year when he was way wide for three turns at in the Gulfstream Park BC, and then came back just two weeks later to take the Muniz. After two months off, he ran disappointingly in the Turf Classic. It may have been the yielding ground, but I just have the gut feeling that he's vulnerable as the morning line favorite. I also don't really care for Silver Tree (5-1), whose best days may be behind him despite his win at Gulfstream in the Appleton. Cosmonaut (9-2) made a very nice return at Keeneland last month against a moderate, and looks tough.

But I'm looking at two potential overlays here, both from Marty Wolfson. Can't Beat It (15-1) has a good excuse for most of his losses. He lost on the dirt in the Fountain of Youth, and has been beaten by Barbaro and Showing Up on grass. He's an improving four-year old, and though his return race at Calder last month was dull, he always improves in his second off the layoff. Mending Fences (10-1) is another improving animal for Wolfson. He starts from the 11 post, but have a look - there is no speed at all inside of him.

OK, OK, The Head Chef is giving me looks; time to get dressed. Have a fantastic day, and best of luck to all.

Racing Makes No Difference to Spitzer

- Busy today at work before leaving for Nashville, but wanted to sneak in a quick post here. The Saratogian has an article containing some reaction to the Bloodhorse.com article about the possible closing of Aqueduct, and splitting up of the franchise.

And the reactions as reported by Paul Post are no surprise. "To me that's a bad idea," said Jack Knowles; and Assembly member Audrey Pheffer, who represents the district where the Big A is, said: "I'm going to fight like hell to keep Aqueduct open." The article also raises issues such as necessary revenue sharing from the downstate VLT's to keep Saratoga's purses competitive, that minor matter regarding the fact that present law prohibits slots at Belmont, and the effect the plan would have on consolidating the OTB's with the new operator(s).

Most alarming to me however, was this quote from Spitzer as relayed by Ms. Pheffer: "What's the difference if there are horses running or not?" That's a question I expect to see raised in the next few years by racino operators around the country once they get sick of subsidizing the racing side that contributes only a minuscule portion of their income but, for now, allows them to be in existence. But to hear it from the Governor of this state, at a time that we thought, in what was likely a flight of naive fancy, would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create an regulatory environment that could help the sport thrive, is disconcerting, disturbing....down right despicable, actually. I'm just disgusted. Between this, and his prior comments in the Troy Record, it's very clear that racing is very far down on his list of priorities. The reader who recently admonished me for saying that Spitzer was interested in getting something done with the Aqueduct racino was obviously sharper than I.

Also wanted to mention the presentation by Capital Play in Saratoga last night. Not much media coverage that I've seen. There's a brief report from a local TV channel here, and perhaps The Saratogian's report isn't up online yet. But thanks to the readers who reported on the meeting here, where there is already a lively debate on its merits. If you go to Capital Play's website, you can see their video presentation. (which is worthwhile even if only for some cool old news footage).

Their idea to attract young women reminds me of a time a number of years back when I was going into the Meadowlands, and heard a group of guys ask the admission guy, "So, where are the chicks??" Ha! Most tracks, places like Keeneland and Saratoga excluded, are virtual men's clubs. I wanted to tell these guys to check out the paddock before the next filly race. Look, it's a wonderful idea to create a big party atmosphere that new young fans will flock to. But Australia is a different culture, and there's no guarantee that the same strategy (even if they did orchestrate it Down Under as opposed to being a mere bookie as one commenter wrote) would be effective here.

I was in the party tent at Saratoga Harness over the summer, and it was pretty filled with a young crowd digging on the music, food, and company. Getting them out to see the races is another thing. Of course, they don't try at that track, and maybe if an outfit like Capital Play did, we'd see some results. But I seriously wonder if the governor is the least bit interested in giving them, or any of the other bidders, a shot at reviving a sport and industry that he doesn't seem to care about in the least.

Gotta go, speak to you next from Music City.

But Steve......

....you can't pick every horse in the race, buddy! WHO DO YOU LIKE??

Preakness Picks

- Today is a work and travel day, as we're leaving for Nashville in the early evening....hopefully. The weather forecast is grim. Doesn't look good for 'fast and firm' at Belmont this weekend.

So, here are my Preakness picks. I'm going to go down the field in order of preference.

- Street Sense (Street Cry) - I just don't see any compelling reason to oppose him here other than perhaps price. For one thing, I think he has the best chance of of the Derby top three to run back to, or exceed that effort two weeks later. The flip side of 'he had an easy trip', is that he had an easy trip. He traveled less ground, had no stress and won with plenty left in the tank. Will he get another rail trip? I wouldn't be so sure that he won't. When he gets ready to roll, according to my perception of how the race will play out, the horses on or near the lead will be tiring and drifting off the rail, King of the Roxy will be making a move, Circular Quay will be five wide, and shame on the riders of the horses that don't belong if they go out of their way to impede him. Personally, I don't think that would happen, and that he can win the race even if he has to go around horses.

- Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) - I've been agonizing back and forth on him but I'll use him in exactas (Crist thinks that combo could pay $30) and triples. He was extremely wide and had tons of trouble in the Derby, and should have a much better journey here in a seven horse field that may be strung out a bit. I think the combination of a fast pace and the small field will be such that he should be along for a share.

- King of the Roxy - I've watched this horse with some interest since Team Valor purchased him last summer. He's a modestly bred son of Littlexpectations who sold at auction for $8,000; and Barry Irwin picked him out watching him graduate at Hollywood Park on TV. He liked the way the horse took the turn, and I've watched that race and you can see what Mr. Irwin saw. He made a similar move, though a four wide one, in the one turn Hutcheson; and in the Santa Anita Derby, he was three wide throughout the turn and propelled to the lead as they straightened away. So I think perhaps the reason they targeted the Preakness is a feeling that the colt could prove to be agile on the tight Pimlico turns and make some hay at that point. I'm thinking he could be right there as they turn for home - as he's been in all of his races other than the BC. Garrett Gomez riding for the first time doesn't hurt either. And while it seems as if even his connections don't expect him to last, I'll use him as high as second underneath Street Sense.

- Curlin (Smart Strike) - Well, I've changed my opinion here. I was thinking Curlin at various times during the week, but I'm bothered by the possibility of too much, too soon. It's been a pretty wild ride for a colt who didn't debut until Feb 3 of this year, and who will now be making his fifth start since then, and his second in two weeks against top competition. He may have gained some good experience in the Derby, but this still seems a lot to ask. Having said that, I'm too chicken to leave him off my tickets entirely.

- Hard Spun (Danzig) - I don't see him getting away to a clear lead this time even if he goes 46 and change. In fact, with Flying First Class in the race, he seems unlikely to have the lead in any event; and I certainly don't see him getting away with another 50 4/5 second half without King of the Roxy or Curlin moving to engage him. Can he rate? He did a bit in the Lane's End, but note the chart comment that he pressed the pace while restrained, and you can see that Pino had all he could handle, especially on the first turn. Given recent events, I'm thinking that the horse just wants to go, and that he could prove headstrong when confronted with Flying First Class and Xchanger early. He tired in that infamous workout, tired in the Derby, where he raced on a live rail, and I think he'll tire in the Preakness, thus creating some value in the exotics.

- Flying First Class (Perfect Mandate / Gone West) - He was crushed by Curlin in his two two-turn races. I see Lukas is really talking him up, and he's no doubt a very fast horse, but he hasn't proven he can handle the route. However, I'm counting on him to be a strong factor early.

- Xchanger - A reader pointed out that I overlooked the fact that this son of Exchange Rate has a race over the track - his recent wire to wire domination of the Tesio. Breaking from the two, he'll contend for a spot on the lead along the rail. Don't know if he'll get it over Lukas' horse, but I expect him to be an early factor.

- C P West (Came Home) - Note that it's C P West, not CP West.

- Mint Slewlep (Who Cares?) - Not only does he no shot, he'll likely be an underlay too.

So I'll use Street Sense on top of the two Pletchers in the exactas, and throw Curlin into the mix for the triples.

A Monkey Of Some Different Colors

If you think that it was nuts that Coolmore paid $16 million for The Green Monkey, take a look at this.










This baby, entitled "White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose)," sold for $72.8 million dollars at Sotheby's on Tuesday night, the highest price ever for a work of art produced after World War II. It's a Mark Rothko, and it was sold by David Rockefeller, who bought the painting for less than $10,000 in 1960. The auction house, which collects a 20% commission on the first $500,000, and 12% on the rest (the price includes commission), did some heavy marketing of the piece - they even let prospective buyers hang it in their homes to try it on. Kinda like the under tack shows, I guess.

I very much enjoy seeing art, but I personally prefer my paintings to include people, places, or things. Slop some colors on the canvas, and I just don't get it. I probably wouldn't have bought this if I saw it for ten bucks at a yard sale. And what the hell is the buyer going to do with this anyway? Other than re-sell it for twice as much in 10 years? At least you could ride The Green Monkey, feed him carrots, and, I dunno, maybe just have a friend....or maybe even more....

Anyway, if things don't work out with The Green Monkey, here's a way they can get their money back. They can stuff him, stick him up on a canvas, and slop some paint on him. Then he can be "White Stockings (Yellow, Pink and Lavender Monkey on Horse)." They should be able to get at least $16 million for that.

Thursday Night Notes - May 17

- Oh man, 2-5 on Pletcher's Brooke's Valentine in the baby race at Belmont today. Sometimes I wonder in a case like this if all the bettors even noticed that she's a filly racing against colts. I'll admit to sometimes missing that; in fact, the very first race of the Keeneland meeting, I had no clue that Yogi'ssplashofgold, who I picked for third in the Special, was a filly until the race was over. Fortunately, I didn't write anything to embarrass myself (and even if I had, Jamie, the sharp-eyed editor, would have bailed me out again). As I mentioned yesterday, Brooke's Valentine came out of a key race which included Rated Fiesty, who went on to win against colts in a Grade 3 at Churchill (the aforementioned Yogi'ssplashofgold was second).

This time she was ahead by open lengths turning for home, and as they passed the eighth pole, I'm sure her backers were ready to go to the windows. But Ascot Hall was cranking it up in the middle of the track, and the chalk players got crushed by this 6-1 shot from the Anthony Dutrow barn.

For the winner's sire Aldebaran, it was a winner with his first ever starter, as noted at the Darby Dan site (beware of the music). The stallion son of Mr. Prospector won his only race at two, but didn't do much more winning until he was five (though he ran second in four Grade 1's at four). So we don't know how precocious his youngsters will be, but he's off to a good start to be sure. Ascot Hall is out of an Unbridled's Song mare, so he's inbred 2x5 to the great Mr. P.

In the 5th, Small Potatoes, with Cornelio Velasquez, nipped Clay's Run, with John Velazquez, and the reason I mention that is because will all the crap I've gotten, and rightfully so, from some readers for misspelling names like Jimmy Jerkins Jerkens, I've never gotten any credit for getting those two guys' names right every time. So there you go.

And a nice little five horse turf stakes in the feature, even though half the field scratched. Meribel came from last to get up for the hot Christophe Clement (11-5-1-2) over Fantastic Shirl for the hot Kiaran McLaughlin (19-7-3-0), and favored Jade Queen (Giant's Causeway), making her four-year debut for Pletcher, and battling on well despite falling short of the place spot. Pletcher is 13-for-15 in the money at the meeting, but has just three winners thus far.

This Strange Plan

- This strange
plan is random at best

This strange....
how much more can I take?

This strange
change in atmosphere
and in gravity too

- Built to Spill

Thus far, Tom Precious in Bloodhorse is the only one reporting on this strange plan being hatched by Governor Spitzer to close Aqueduct and sell it off, retain NYRA to run Saratoga, and pick someone else to run racing and slots (and the inevitable table games) at a winterized Belmont. So, maybe if we just ignore it, it will just go away.

But I doubt that. For one thing, Spitzer hinted at this a couple of weeks ago in a strange, rambling interview with the Troy Record which seemed to reveal not only his ignorance of the process thus far, but even of how an RFP works. At that time he said that some people "asked legitimate questions about the need for two downstate tracks."

Of course, the idea of selling Aqueduct is not new; it's been raised at various times over the last decade, and, in fact, initial steps to winterize Belmont have already been completed. And though it makes absolutely no sense from a sporting aspect, the idea of raising vast sums of money always makes sense to government, especially if it can be achieved via a simple land grab. The consequence would be an endless season at a track which could only be truly winterized if they put the entire massive complex on a rotating platform so that the front of the grandstand wasn't totally in the shade come the winter months.

My feelings toward Belmont are mixed. I love the beautiful park area, the stakes schedule, the high quality of racing (sometimes), the two lush grass courses. But I don't really care for the main track, which is just too damn big. There are no two turn races other than the Belmont, and the races all start far, far away on the backstretch. I don't really consider mile and an eighth races around one turn to be true distance tests. But it's the contrast between that and Aqueduct - the transition to two turn races back to one, and vice versa - the ying and the yang - that provides juicy handicapping angles that last throughout the racing year. The idea of an entire year of one turn dirt racing makes me go cold. When I contemplate the idea of being stuck inside that building watching December $12,500 claimers starting on the other side of Nassau County in the same monotonous routes, I'm thinking hell, I might as well just go to Yonkers. I can change the name of this blog to something like They're Off....Offstride!

I wonder too if any of the bidders would agree to such an arrangement. After all, they're SO interested in the racing part; Empire especially, who promised the Saratoga horse park and all sorts of new development there. Don't you think it would expose the bidders' hypocrisy if they still agreed to become strictly a downstate operator of a racino in Elmont?

Of course, there will be objections from the racing community, and legal issues, such as NYRA's claim that they own the land, and the matter of the intent of the original donors to have the land go to charity should it cease being used for racing. So I won't turn in my parking sticker just yet. But to me, this is an ominous turn in the proceedings; one which would have been moot by now had Pataki let the Lottery Division approve the racino. On the other hand, maybe this is exactly what he had in mind all along.

And it's strange,
but not all that strange
that it's strange,
but what's so strange
about that?

Yeah it's strange
but what isn't strange...

Notes

- Another winner for Kiaran McLaughlin at Belmont on Wednesday; his current stats at the meeting read 18-7-2-0. Truman's Gold was once a promising two-year old in training who brought a winning bid of $650,000 at auction, and debuted as a 5-2 favorite at Saratoga in 2006. On Wednesday, he was claimed by Steve Asmussen for $35,000; expect to see his new connections run him back for 45K in about a week.

Sabre Baby won the third, perhaps a hint to bet on the Sabres, who managed to extend their series with Ottawa to a 5th game last night. Steppenwolfer showed some promise in his grass debut with a very late rally for second.

Two-year old racing makes a late debut in New York this year; generally you see a couple at the Big A, and I'm already getting bitterly nostalgic just mentioning that track. Wesley Ward has an entrant here; the trainer has won with six of the eleven first-time juveniles he's run this year. Cannonball is a Ramsey home-bred, by Catienus, out of a mare by the Classic winner Skywalker. Ascot Hall is by the first-year sire Aldeberan; he sold for $200,000 as a yearling. Trainer Anthony Dutrow his at 22% with first-time two-year olds over the last two years. And Pletcher has the morning line fave with the filly Brooke's Valentine. This daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus ran third in her debut at Keeneland, and the two horses that finished in front of her, as well as the fifth place horse, have come back to win; the race winner Rated Fiesty beat the boys in the G3 Kentucky BC.

Preakness Notes - May 17

1 - Mint Slewlep 30-1 Alan Garcia
2 - Xchanger 15-1 Ramon Dominguez
3 - Circular Quay 8-1 John Velazquez
4 - Curlin 7-2 Robby Albarado
5 - King of the Roxy 12-1 Garrett Gomez
6 - Flying First Class 20-1 Mark Guidry
7 - Hard Spun 5-2 Mario Pino
8 - Street Sense 7-5 Borel
9 - CP West 20-1 Edgar Prado

Hard Spun is 7-2 in the estimation of the Daily Racing Form's "National Handicapper" (caps mine) Mike Watchmaker, and Curlin 4-1. The Form has free pp's (pdf), and these are the ones with the Moss Pace Figures. I don't really know what they tell you here that we don't already know. Flying First Class ran very fast early in the Derby Trial. Personally, I don't really know how that translates Moss-wise going into a race of this distance from the 7 1/2 furlong Trial, but I think we can certainly expect that he'll be a factor early, though we expect him to be Flying in the Cargo Hold by the finish.

I think the key thing to watch early is what Pino Country does with Hard Spun. With Flying First Class just to his inside, and the speedy Xchanger well-placed in the two hole, I would think that he would want to sit a stalking trip just outside, as he did in the Lane's End. You'd think.

But it certainly seems as if this son of Danzig is in a hurry these days, between his pre-Derby work, his Derby, and his quarter mile "blowout" at Delaware, during which Pino said he "had to go 'Whoo..'"

Whoo?

Larry Jones wasn't going to work Hard Spun, but felt that he was losing a bit of focus and needed to be sharpened up to get his mind back on business. [Bloodhorse] This guy just seems to fly by the seat of his cowboy hat, eh? I wonder if this little work indicates that he'll be trying to get the jump on the competition once again. In the Derby, he went the first half in 46 1/5, and the second half in 50 4/5. If he runs that way on Saturday, I think it could very well be that Curlin, who won't be pinned back in 14th this time, will have eaten him up by the time they get to the quarter pole.

Curlin is already at Pimlico, and will gallop on Thursday morning, which should be worth some press in what's been a pretty slow pre-Preakness week. The biggest excitement may have been the surprise entry of Circular Quay. I have very much mixed feelings about him here. Two weeks rest is just not Pletcher's thing; over the last two years, he's one-for 13 on 14 days rest. On the other hand, there appears to be plenty enough speed, and in a short field and less traffic, you figure he's at least going to mount a rally. The Derby may serve as a good prep; it certainly shouldn't have been too taxing.

Barry Irwin keeps talking up Street Sense. “The only way Street Sense gets beat is bad racing luck.” Irwin is a trip, and again created a bit of a stir, as reported by reader Kevin. Seems that he went to the Pimlico stewards and asked them to force Velazquez to honor his commitment to ride King of the Roxy; but then the Team Valor partners voted 2-1 to ride Garrett Gomez instead. For one thing, what does that do to his relationship with Pletcher? And Irwin not only is probably the only guy who would go to the stewards on this matter, he's probably the only one who would come out and say that he did. No disrespect meant to Mr. Tafel, but I'm sure this would have been a far more entertaining week if Barry Irwin owned the Derby winner. We sure wouldn't be reading articles about Robert Bailes, whose Mint Slewlep has never run faster than an 85 Beyer.

As for the jockey issue, I think there's no doubt that Gomez is on the upswing right now, and Johnny V. may be at the stage where he's getting a little stale with the betting public. After all, even the best jockeys lose most of the time, and pick up more and more enemies along the way as disgruntled bettors bemoan an ill-timed move or a suicidal pace. As I've said, Velazquez certainly is willing to concede ground if he thinks he has the best horse, and he can look pretty bad when he doesn't.

- None of the entries have had a workout over the Pimlico track. Jones keeps talking about a "home court advantage," even though Hard Spun has never raced there.

- Street Sense arrived on Wednesday, and the Preakness barn notes says that Nafzger awaited his Derby winner’s arrival nervously, comparing himself to a father in the waiting room as he paced back and forth. Both father and horse are reported to be doing fine.

In A Yonkers Mode

- Overheard from a departing slots player on my way into Yonkers Raceway last night....that's right, Yonkers Raceway. (I have an excuse....):

"We're playing the wrong game! Look at that! If you picked the first three horses, it paid $1002!"

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! And that was for a 5-2 shot on top of 9-2 and 18-1, with an even money favorite out of the money. I mean, we're all cut from the same cloth, just looking for a little action, right? Maybe with some Horse Wizard machines, or a large screen inside the racino showing a sampling of some of the possible big exotics payouts on the upcoming race, one actually could create some crossover instead of keeping the players in isolation, with no view of the track amidst the incessant Philip Glass soundtrack.

Or maybe not. But I'd at least like to see someone try.

Things at Yonkers have changed since my last visit. For one thing, there's horse racing! And an infield tote board! And there's more slots. Oh man, a lot more slots, an entire new building where the old grandstand used to be, running from the top of the stretch to the clubhouse. It is an awesome sight to be sure. However, most of the machines - and I was told there are presently 5,900 - stood idle. To guess that 25% of them were in use may be an overestimation. And in keeping with recent gloomy reports on the daily take at some other racinos, I was thinking, man, what's going on here?

But when I asked a bartender if the place ever gets crowded, he rolled his eyes. You should see the place on weekends, he told me. On Mother's Day - Mother's Day, for heaven's sake!! - he said that the place was so packed that he thought they were going to close the entrances and not let anyone else in! He told me that every single machine is accounted for on big days, including Kentucky Derby day (though with no TV's to distract the faithful, I'd guess that most of them didn't even know it was going on.)

Another employee told me about the hotel that is presently being constructed, as well as the plans for what he called "Phase 2," which, I was told, would eventually bring the total to a mind boggling 9,000 VLT's. But more significantly, he told me that the ongoing construction is being undertaken under the assumption - a given, in fact - that there will be table games there within 3-4 years; he said that the electricians have told him that they are laying their wiring with that in mind. And I'm sure he's right, that it's just a matter of time. It may come sooner depending on what happens in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and in the Catskills. But unless the whole thing goes bust sooner than I think it will, it's just a foregone conclusion, at least among the officials at Yonkers.

I'm happy to report that, unlike some of the complaints we've read from commenters about Delaware and Philly Park, I have no complaints about the racetrack portion of the racino - except for the fact that I had to go up to the 4th floor to get a program. There are brand new betting windows outside on the clubhouse apron along with some giant TV screens. There were new benches outside in addition to those old seats on the clubhouse turn, and I have to say that, on this balmy spring night, it was really rather pleasant. There was an affable crowd of around 100-150 people enjoying the weather and the racing. In addition, the 3rd and 4th floors are largely devoted to accommodating racing fans. The old Empire Terrace restaurant overlooking the track from the 3rd floor is still there, as well as a renovated indoor cafe. The 4th floor, while completely unchanged from the old days, is at least still there, with plenty of screens, windows, and seating overlooking the track.

And the racing? Well, it's still Yonkers, but with a couple of differences. The stretch is longer, a result of the "stretch the stretch" effort in the pre-racino days. At that time, they moved the finish line down, and ran races at a mile and a sixteenth so that the start wouldn't be too close to the turn. Now, all the races are at a mile, and the outside horses have to really hustle off the gate. And though the purses are relatively low on Tuesdays (a total of $76,000, as opposed to a whopping $186,000 on Monday!), gone was the parade of front running 3-5 winners. The racing was actually quite competitive and with some good finishes, and that's the idea - to lure simulcast bettors with attractive wagering contests.

So, all in all, except for losing the couple of races I bet, it was a fine evening, and I would even go back, especially on a night of stakes races.

Oh, and my excuse for being at Yonkers on a Tuesday night? The Head Chef was catering a function of the Rainforest Alliance (do you think I would retain a Head Chef who wasn't politically correct?) on the Upper West Side. So since I wasn't getting fed anyway, I took the train up after work, took the car, and occupied myself for a couple of hours before coming back to retrieve her. The Head Chef is quite busy these days, and she has some cool celebrity clients in her stable. She's worked before for Donna Karan and Rikki Lake; and while I'm not at liberty to name her present clients, I can say that she's cooking for a member of one of those prominent '80's bands that's still tooling around today. I won't name names, but I can say that he and his family just can't get enough!

Penn National Gets Its Way

- It didn't take long for Maine legislators to back off their proposal to hit up Penn National for an additional 1% of gross revenue on their Hollywood Slots project.

"We are grateful to the Legislature for hearing the concerns that we had about a [higher] tax rate and its effect on [Penn National’s Bangor operations] and the ripple effect it would have had on the economy," [a company spokesperson] said early Monday evening. [Bangor Daily News]

Ha! Penn National brought construction to a dead halt, and the Legislature, already addicted to the revenue from the temporary facility, was backed into a corner and had absolutely no choice. Didn't the lawmakers realize that Penn National had all the leverage in this situation? It's not too often that you see a single corporation holding all the cards against a government and causing them to capitulate with barely a peep. Whatsmore, Penn National said that it will now shift its focus to talks with lawmakers aimed at creating a "more stable and predictable environment for our $131 million investment." In other words, don't even think about fucking with us again!

- Frank Stronach and Magna will not be buying Chrysler, as Daimler has agreed to sell the automaker to Cerebrus, a private equity firm known for cutting its way to profit but vowing this time to retool and build. [LA Times] We'll see about that. Though the purchase price was announced at $7.4 billion, most of that money is to be invested in the company, and Daimler, after paying closing costs and loaning money to Chrysler, is basically paying Cerebrus to take the company and its massive pension obligations off of its hands.

What that makes that potentially relevant to us is that Frank Stronach is no doubt paying attention. His Magna Entertainment is another troubled enterprise with huge liabilities; in this case, a debt of over $500 million to its majority stakeholder MI Developments, the real estate company which is another Magna entity. And though Stronach also controls that company, he indicated he would not block efforts to sell or spinoff Magna Entertainment if its investors insist.

Some shareholders, particularly hedge funds, want MI to focus on steady real estate earnings and reduce or sell interests in the riskier MEC venture.

Stronach...told reporters he would not oppose a spinoff of MEC under the right circumstances. "I would not be a block," he said. "I want to find good solutions." [Toronto Star]

Stronach remains optimistic about the future - profits did rise in the first quarter, the company still has valuable "non-core" assets to sell, and there's hope for some friendlier regulations in Florida regarding ATM's as well as for slots in Maryland. But should the pressure to spinoff the company rise, I'd imagine it would be a similar deal to Chrysler in that just the shedding of debt would be the main attraction to MI. And if the buyer is a private equity firm like Cerebrus, they're going to take a look at the racing properties - including Gulfstream with its anemic daily take at its racino and its prime location - and evaluate them on a bottom-line basis.

But Frank is still trying, we'll give him that much, even if his efforts are sometimes misguided. He's proposed the idea of Instant Racing machines as an alternative to slots in Michigan, where he's proposed to build a new track under those circumstances; and the company has floated the idea of "life-changing" payouts of $10 million on a series of televised horse races. Personally, I think he has the right idea on both counts. I know he was ridiculed for those Horse Wizard machines, but I thought that was one of his better ideas. I'm highly in favor of using old races and/or any possible gimmick - especially lottery-type payoffs - to get people to sit in front of a TV or electronic gadget, and watch a race while having a stake in the outcome. I believe that's the only way we're ever going to attract new people to the sport, and it's a simple and relatively easy solution that I believe is being overlooked to the industry's detriment. I mean, if people will watch a bunch of dumb humans competing for big money amongst themselves in some asinine reality show, don't you think they'll take a couple of minutes to watch some dumb horses run around the track if they themselves can make big - or even not so big money on the outcome? Maybe?

Final Work for Favorite

- There was some talk after the Derby about how the three top finishers all had workouts over the Churchill track, as opposed to some of the laggards who prepped at Keeneland; but none of the connections of the three seem to be concerned about having one over the Pimlico oval before Saturday's Preakness. Street Sense wrapped up his preparation with a five furlong work at Churchill. through fractions of 12.60, 25, 37, 48.60, and 1:00, with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:12.60. Street Sense worked through fractions of 12.60, 25, 37, 48.60, and 1:00, with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:12.60. [DRF] Though Nafzger said he was looking for 1:02, he was not displeased (and did you expect that he'd say anything different?)

“He worked a lot faster than we thought, but he did it the right way and it didn’t hurt him....The horse did it without any effort. He wasn’t charging the bit. He wasn’t trying to work….he looked very happy coming off the track. I don’t think he even took a deep breath. He did it easy. He didn’t come unraveled. He didn’t stress.” [Bloodhorse]

Nafzger also said that King of the Roxy is a “monster.” He's certainly a nice horse, but even the Toddster concedes that he's questionable at the distance. "He looked like he was going to win the Santa Anita Derby, but in the last 50 yards he got rubber-legged." And Barry Irwin sounds content to run for second place money: "I can't see us beating Street Sense."

"The other ones, I can come up with a scenario where they react to their last race. If Hard Spun runs a huge race again on a harder surface, I'd be surprised. Curlin, I love him, but he's had a bunch of hard races.

"Right now, I'd settle for second. Street Sense is the man." [NY Post]

The Company You Keep

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Dubai.


Angel Cordero Jr. with OJ Simpson at the Derby, along with......hey, I thought she was dead!?

(Hat tip to Equidaily for the bottom photo.)

Notes - May 15

- Discreet Cat is set to return to the U.S. this weekend, and Rick Mettee said that the earliest he would most likely return to the races would be at Saratoga. [DRF] The horse got to stick around in Dubai to help greet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. That's right, the Man with the Nuclear Plan was in Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum warmly welcomed [the] Iranian president at the Dubai airport. I can only imagine how that would go over in Kentucky if it was Nancy Pelosi hanging out with that guy, but I'm sure come the next big sale, the Sheikh's plane will have its usual spot at Blue Grass Airport waiting for him as always.

Godolphin is rolling here, and Songster got a 109 Beyer for his win in the Bold Ruler. Mettee said Songster would be pointed to the Grade 2 Tom Fool at Belmont on July 4.

The Form also reports that Any Given Saturday came out of the Derby with a foot bruise. "We had to pull a shoe off of him...It's improving, but he has not gone back to the track since then." Must have been when he was knocked off his feet by the wake of Street Sense, one of the funnier excuses I've heard in some time. Scat Daddy...is being pointed to the Dwyer Stakes on July 4, while Cowtown Cat....could run next in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 2.

Preakness Notes - May 14

- Steve Crist points out that there hasn't been a close or really competitive Preakness since Magic Weisner fell three-quarters of a length short of catching War Emblem back in 2002.

Funny Cide galloped by 9 3/4 lengths in 2003, Smarty Jones romped by 11 1/2 in 2004, and Afleet Alex won by 4 3/4 in 2005, a margin that would have been even larger had he not almost fallen. Then last year, Bernardini won by 5 1/4 after Barbaro was pulled up. [Daily Racing Form (sub. only)]

But Magic Weisner was never going to get up in that race, and you really have to go back to 1997, when Silver Charm slugged it out with Free House (and here comes Captain Bodgit), to find a really close Preakness.

This should be the time when I link to the Preakness website so we can watch that classic race. But there's nothing comparable to the history section of the Derby site there, and the site is pretty weak, though at least I don't have John Asher talking to me. And there is some good reporting in the Barn Notes. Anyway, here is the stretch run of the 1997 Preakness.



Man, that was some race! Don't know if we'll be that lucky this year....in fact, after last year, I'm just hoping they all get home in one piece. But it's a nice little field shaping up, especially if Circular Quay joins the party, and it sounds like he just may. “I worked him this morning with the Preakness in the back of my mind....I’ll talk to Mr. Tabor and we’ll make a decision tomorrow morning.” [Pimlico barn notes]

I'm going back and forth on this race so far, and since I'm going to be at a wedding in Nashville on Saturday afternoon, I'm going to have to actually make a decision in advance, and commit to it. I'm having my Street Sense moments; yes, he's been pretty lucky and has had things all his own way in his two big wins at Churchill. But like in other sports, you can make your own luck, and he wouldn't be able to pass horses like he did if he wasn't going pretty fast. But I'm having my Curlin moments too; I still have that picture of him galloping out after his last pre-Derby workout. He's an impressive physical specimen, and he has every right to improve off the Derby as the likely third choice.

I'm not having any Hard Spun moments. OK, maybe once in a while. Larry Jones is hot these days, profiled by Beyer, writing a column for the NY Post, and he's still carrying on about Borel, and how the other riders shouldn't let him through. Talking about the smaller field, he says:

But it also gives the other jockeys more time to pinpoint on one horse. I've been in more trouble in a four-horse race sometimes than I have in a 12-horse field, because everyone can spot you, and then they can race-ride you.

So the smaller field may work at a disadvantage for Street Sense, because it gives everyone a chance to pinpoint him. [NY Post]

If Jones is depending on that, he may be disappointed. If this was the feature race on Thursday, maybe, but I find it hard to believe that these riders in the Preakness are going to be focused on anything other than winning the race. Now, if Robby Albarado, on Curlin, sees a chance to keep the Derby winner in a box without compromising his own chances at some point, than of course he'll do so. But Jones is talking like the riders are going to be focused on "pinpointing" Borel, and I don't see that happening outside of the kind of race-riding described above.

Maybe Jones needs a stablemate for Hard Spun; not a rabbit, but a shadow, like Guy Carbonneau on Wayne Gretzky. Someone to follow Borel around, or get in front of him to shut off the rail. Well? If you can enter a horse to run after the leader to soften him up, can't you enter a shadow? Are there any rules against doing something like that? Remember last fall when rider Seamus Heffernan was suspended in England for "improper team tactics" when he forced Librettist wide in the QEII Stakes? Would there be suspensions here if someone tried that?

2003 Court Decision Has Bite

- The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has rejected a motion by the West Virginia Family Foundation to expedite its hearing of their constitutional challenge to the law authorizing local referendums on table games at four state tracks. The court set the opening arguments for May 23, which makes it very unlikely that the court would reach a decision in time to stop the June 9 votes. In its argument against the fast-tracking of the case, the state wrote:

"In support of its request for expedited consideration, petitioner posits that there is 'extremely time sensitivity' afoot here, but it falls woefully short of demonstrating any such thing....The only 'deadline' here it identifies is June 9, 2007... It is a rather jarring notion that the mere holding of an election -- the basic expression of the democratic will -- could harm anyone, much less threaten the calamity that the parties and this court must rush to judgment on constitutional questions. [The State Journal]

And in a little dig, it was noted that the Foundation could have acted sooner given that the law was passed on March 8. I guess they were too busy promoting their homophobic agenda.

But despite my feelings regarding this group and religious conservative groups in general, I've been rather intrigued by the arguments they are making, as I discussed at the bottom of this post.

But the state will defend the law and the referendums by pointing to the language of the 1984 amendment that authorized the Lottery: "The Legislature may authorize lotteries which are regulated, controlled, owned and operated by the state of West Virginia in the manner provided by general law." Those words at the end are the key. It basically says: "in whatever manner the legislature should decide, and if you don't like it, bite me." The racetracks' lawyer Wendel Turner explains:

"'Lottery,' as used in that amendment, means a game involving the elements of consideration, chance and prize,....The Supreme Court has decided what that meant, so it's legally irrelevant what any particular voter thought, and that includes former members of the Legislature." [State Journal]

He's referring to a 2003 State Supreme Court decision that stated that a lottery can be defined as "a scheme for the distribution of prizes by chance" [Charleston Daily Mail]; a broad definition to be sure. And on the ownership issue, the same decision declared that the state does not have to own or operate the games "in an absolute sense, but rather in a manner provided by general law." In other words, in the manner that the legislature decides.

That determination, Turner said, means the state owns the games by conferring the right to have table games, and the state operates the games by using agents, just as it does for scratch-off lottery tickets.

"The state doesn't own the machine that dispenses the Powerball ticket. ... The lottery is not operated by state employees going out and selling all the lottery tickets but by contracts with agents of the state," he said. "Table games will be set up exactly the same way." [Charleston Daily Mail]

And though the judge who wrote the opinion expressed his personal feeling that it's unwise for the government to "operate this massive, statewide, government-operated gambling system....he adds that the Legislature "has the legal right to do so under our Constitution."

So it would seem as if the high court of the state has already spoken on this matter. And that the West Virginia Family Foundation can bite me.