EquiSpace

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Preakness 138: The Day in Pictures

Oxbow wins the Preakness

There's your gate-to-wire winner, Oxbow, taking the 138th edition of the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. I moved around most of the morning spending time in and around Old Hilltop trying to snap a few pictures for the 'ole blog. I was live blogging from mid-afternoon through the Dixie for The News and luckily that was during the heavy misting. My recap for The News for this morning's paper can be found here.

It was a fun, but exhausting weekend in Baltimore, my third year covering the race and I watched from the winner's circle for the first time instead of the perch up in the press box. One thing I saw before the race was the trouble that Govenor Charlie's handlers were having with his bridle when taking him out to the track. More than one F-bomb was being thrown at the person who was responsible for securing it in the paddock. They struggled for a good 90 seconds trying to get it on and the horse was none too happy about it. You can see it in a picture I captured below.

While the pace of the race was dawdling through the six furlong mark, the big surprise to me was that no one challenged Oxbow in the early going to keep him honest. Maybe they were just freaked by the hot pace of the Derby and the havoc it presented. I didn't have Oxbow, I liked him on the Triple Crown trail based on his pedigree to go long (probably one of the top two), but just got spooked by his inability to win and to sometimes find trouble. Oh well, that's why they call it gambling.

Here are some pictures (click to enlarge) from Saturday's travels...

The Jagermeister Stage in the Infield

InfieldFest

Pitbull on the Main Stage

Space Gal's required Celebrity Photo:
Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed

Johnny V on Summer Applause
for Chad Brown

Oxbow heads to the indoor paddock

The jockeys cross over to the saddling area

Kevin Krigger in full jog mode

Rosie and Johnny V

Julien Leparoux in the "Green Bay" silks

Baff

Hall of Famer and legendary Notre Damer
Paul Hornung in the trackside winners circle

Doug O'Neill

Derby winner Orb

Oxbow

Govenor Charlie's handlers having
some issues

Itsmyluckyday

Post Parade: Orb

Post Parade: Goldencents

Post Parade: Titletown Five

Post Parade: Departing

Post Parade: Mylute

Post Parade: Oxbow

Post Parade: Will Take Charge

Post Parade: Govenor Charlie

Post Parade: Itsmyluckyday

NBC's Donna Barton Brothers

D. Wayne Lukas - "Hey There!"

DWL and Ms. Racing Queen (to the right)

First time by - Oxbow loose on the lead

That's a wrap from Baltimore...back in a New York minute for the Belmont.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Black-Eyed Susan Day: The Day in Pictures

That's Fiftyshadesofhay with jockey Joel Rosario up for trainer Bob Baffert after winning the 89th running of the Grade 2 $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan (BES) Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. I arrived yesterday morning and moved around the track all day enjoying the brilliant sunshine and great day of racing that Pimlico serves up on the eve of the Preakness Stakes.

My recap on the BES for The Buffalo News can be found here. In the finale, Bona Venture Stables' Summer of Fun lost a photo in the Old Hilltop Stakes. I spoke with managing partner Dan Collins this morning who said "She came out fine, a little tired. She's just got to learn to keep the lead, that's twice now." She'll likely point towards the Virginia Oaks at Colonial or the Lake George at Saratoga later this summer.

It's a little overcast, but hoping any rain showers will hold off for today. the infield is starting to fill up and the first race goes off at 10:45 a.m. on what is the longest day of racing of the year. Later today I'll be live blogging (starting around 3:00 p.m. at the Sports, Ink blog.

I went with Orb in this morning's paper, but will be protecting against a second place finish with some exacta boxes and perhaps a trifecta keying him in second, should something go awry or if he has to play catch up a la Animal Kingdom.

Here's a look at some pictures from yesterday's travels...

Marathon Lady - second in BES,
Robby Albarado up

Toasting - West Point Thoroughbreds
Javier Castellano in the irons

Fiftyshadesofhay wins the BES

Bob Baffert

Shug McGaughey and Bill Mott

Emotional Kitten - Old Hilltop winner
Joel Rosario aboard for the Ramseys

Chad Brown and Castellano discuss
Premier Step's trip

Doug O'Neill after the Old Hilltop
with Birdlover

View from the Turfside Terrace
one of the best in all of racing

Orb on Preakness morning
in traditional stall 40

That's a wrap on the Black-Eyed Susan....good luck everyone.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Derby 139: Post Parade

It's been a week since Derby Day and I'm just getting around to posting some Derby pictures from my spot in the winner's circle. With all the hullabaloo about where the media was going to watch the race, my spot on the rail was as good as anywhere else. I was able to see all of the horses parade by (see below) after coming out from the paddock and it was a great spot to be in to see Orb make his move and fly by us.

My post-Derby pre-Preakness thoughts are up at the Sports, Ink blog and am gearing up to head to Baltimore next weekend for a fun weekend in racing. My favorite race day of the year, believe it or not, is Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico. Hanging out at the sixteenth (or is it the eighth?) pole and having a cigar and a cocktail or two while enjoying top flight racing -- can't beat it, and am really looking forward to it.

So here are some pictures from the rail during the post parade of all 19 horses and some post-race photos after the big win.

The Post Parade