Hello, Keeneland

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I've had this love-hate thing going with Keeneland for the better part of four years now. It's like that train wreck you can't just keep your eyes off of. Every time I try to turn and run away from playing that damn track, it lures me back in.

I have this Hello, Newman type relationship with KEE. The 50 cent Pick-3's are like a siren song to me, coaxing me into the deadly waters and coral reef off the coast of wherever those things are.

I know my ROI is about -300% here, but I just can't not play. I was pretending all week that it wasn't opening day on Friday, but I succumbed to the pressure and downloaded the PP's tonight. Oh, Bowman's Causeway (ran second by a nose in last year's $500K Prince of Wales at Fort Erie) is running in the 5th. Hey, Capt. Candyman Can is running in the 8th. Wow. Interesting. Yep, I've been sucked in again. Some interesting maiden races to boot. The Transylvania looks like a fun race, too. Looks like the office TV will be getting a workout tomorrow afternoon between the Masters and Keeneland.  Oh well, Keeneland, I'm coming for you (please don't hurt me too bad).

Speaking of Canada, I was asked by my good friend and colleague Keith McCalmont, of the Woodbine media staff, to be part of a Queen's Plate poll, where I went with Hard Not To Like in the top spot. She's a talented filly who ran fifth behind Stephanie's Kitten and Stopshoppingmaria in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but only three lengths behind the winners. She's yet to try the Woodbine poly, but I like her pedigree and she's faced some tough competition already. It's a long way 'til the Plate in June, though.

I thought last weekend's preps would hold to form with Union Rags and Mark Valeski, not that either ran a bad race, but the Derby trail always serves up a long shot winner (see Stately Victor & Exhi). It'll be interesting to see how Gemologist does for Pletcher and if Creative Cause continues to move forward on the west coast. I'll be rooting for My Adonis (I've developed a liking towards him) and Midnight Transfer (another I fancy).

I've put up the first draft of the Derby SpaceSheet for 2012 and the link is located on the right sidebar. It'll start to take better shape after this weekend's preps and we'll keep updating it up through the post draw, so keep checking back.

The blog quietly turned four on Monday (Apr. 2), thanks to all who read and support me.  Now, off to those KEE PP's.

Hobby Horse Journalism?

Tweet I stumbled across this post by Steven A. Smith (not the loudmouthed former ESPN dude) from a website that the Saratoga Resident mockingly emailed me about Pullitizer Prize entries which is now eligible for online entries. After shooting him an "are you freakin' kidding me?" response, I clicked on a link to Smith's post and found it to be a pretty good read.

The post was about a speech he had given at a We Make the Media conference (whatever that could be), in Portland where he coined the term "hobby journalist" which he received a great deal of flack from a wide array of online writers. An interesting excerpt which will give you a flavor of the post follows:

"In general, it is extraordinarily difficult for people working on their own to sustain high-end journalism over time. I am not saying it is impossible. Difficult, certainly. Rare, yes.

The Portland conference was all about trying to develop new institutions with the capacity to support journalism and journalists, including those whose personal values and drive compel them to do this work part-time and without financial support."

I've always said this is just a hobby for me, and if a hobby journalist is what I am...so be it. Actually I would prefer hobby horse journalist...but you can call me anything you'd like. :p