Never Gonna Get It

Tweet I hate taking shots at the World Wide Leader, but I just can't understand why they wouldn't have two broadcast teams (other than cost) one at Arlington and one at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon. By far the best 90 minutes of racing all summer long took place between 4:30pm and 6:00pm EST when you had four (count em 4!) grade I races take place as follows: (1) Beverly D. from Arlington [off at 4:54]; (2) the Test from Saratoga [off at 5:15]; (3) the Arlington Million [off at 5:45 and finally (4) the Whitney from Saratoga [off at 5:50]. Talk about a great show that could have been. Instead you had race fans across the country flipping back and forth to TVG or MSG+ for the SAR races and missing any commentary ESPN might have had after the Beverly D. or the Million. So if they were trying to push their Breeders Cup racing series, they probably lost a good portion of their audience that wanted to watch the Grade I's from the Spa. They'll say it's a cost issue, but you only can look back a week and say, did they really need to show the Eddie Read from Del Mar. To be honest, I can't even remember who ran in it, not to mention who won it (and I like racing). They had some huge potential public interest stories with Commentator trying for his 3rd straight Whitney available to them, but again they just don't seem to get it. They may not receive another 90 minutes of great racing from two different locales again this summer. What a shame.

Keep an eye on Dick Powell's "Play of the Day." He's on fire and had a 6-1 winner on Saturday afternoon in Exclusive Scheme ($15.60) and I used on of his POD's on Day Two to complete a sweet baby exacta. He's a tremendous handicapper and has some excellent thoughts in this column on the Inner and Mellon turf courses at the Spa. [Today's selection William T. paid $5.50 to place and $3.60 to show].

The Toga Party contest is heating up with two points being handed out on Saturday. Keith at Triple Dead Heat he anonymous Dollar Bill each earned a point with longshot Bullsbay. In the crazy eights question in honor of my daughter's and Jelly Roll's birthday, only one #8 came across the wire first (Maram in the John Hettinger Stakes). Robert of They're in the Gate, the Saratoga Resident [leader at the clubhouse turn] and yours truly all are on the board. Todd Pletcher is atop the trainer board with 8 victories and Dominguez and Garcia (14 each) are tied on top of the jockey colony. Through week #2 there has been 48 turf races with four full weeks to go.

The Bills debuted last night in Canton and were surprised by a pretty cool fake punt play by the Titans. Don't ask me why they unveiled it in the preseason, sure didn't make much sense to me. Other than give me nightmares remembering Homerun Throwback. I almost peed myself when the Bills came out with the no huddle in the first series throwing to TO twice. Man, it was a nostalgic weekend for the Bills and hopefully we have some exciting football to look forward to in a month. Hey, I guy can dream can't he?

Here's my dedication to the WWL....