Author Says Zenyatta was Hickok Belt Worthy

Tweet My friend of 47 years and current Editor of Syracuse University Magazine, Jay Cox, turned me onto an USA Today article, while we were corresponding via email. The article written by former Buffalonian Erik Brady, featured a book authored by one of Jay's pals, Scott Pitoniak, a former Rochester Democrat & Chronicle sportswriter, called Jewel of the Sports World: The Story of the Hickok Belt Award ($24.95, RIT Press).

The Hickok belt was given away from 1950 to 1976, honoring the Professional Athlete of the Year. The list of winners during that time period is absolutely incredible. A number of my idols are on the list, Frank Robinson (1966), Brooks Robinson (1970), Arnold Palmer (1960) and Steve Carlton (1972). Boxing is well represented on the list with Rocky Marciano (1952), Carmen Basilio (1957) and Muhammed Ali (1974). Brooks Robinson called the award the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for sports."

Brady's article discusses the history of the Belt:

"The award was given by the Hickok Manufacturing Company of Rochester, N.Y., once a leading manufacturer of men's belts and accessories — thus the prize, an alligator-skin belt with a five-pound, solid gold buckle encrusted with diamonds, rubies and sapphires."

The Wikipedia site describes it as "an alligator-skin belt with a solid gold buckle, an encrusted 4 carat (800 mg) diamond, and 26 gem chips. It was valued at over $10,000 in the currency of the time."

Pitoniak when asked by Brady of who was worthy to win the award this year, he had an interesting answer that would make us in our little niche sport smile:

"Wow. Great question. I might go with Zenyatta. You laugh. But Secretariat finished in the top 10 in voting after his Triple Crown year in 1973. (Imagine how big the belt would have had to be to fit around Big Red's waist; probably would have needed to award a Hickok saddle instead"

I know I will be picking up a copy of Pitoniak's book, it should be an interesting read to find out what has happened to some of the belts over the years (i.e., Pete Rose and O.J. Simpson were both winners) and how the Rochester (NY) event evolved and eventually died in 1976.

Closing One Chapter, Opens Another

Tweet I can't tell you how many times in my life I've been asked if I'm related to Uncle Don (I'm not, different spelling), but I do remember his late night Rock Concerts during my youth. He unfortunately passed away yesterday at age 76 due to heart failure. It seems like a lot of folks from my childhood have been passing away in the past few months, we're just getting older I guess...and when one chapter closes, another opens.

We finally can close the Zenyatta chapter (she got the quan), the mare who has dominated the racing scene over the past two years. She really was not a factor in 2008, as Big Brown and Curlin were the horses grabbing the main headlines. Which goes to show you that another horse will step up in the next nine or ten months to grab our fancy......

Some thoughts and notes on last night's affair and whatnot....

- I'll apologize ahead of time, and I'll probably be skewered for this, but Marylou Whitney didn't impress me to the extent that others seem to be gushing all over her. To be honest, she reminded me of Lovey Howell who just finished her tea and crumpets. Ok, she said some nice things about the backstretch workers and taking care of the horses, I get it, but something just rubbed me the wrong way about her....maybe it's the blueblood, political connectivity thing....oh well, you know what they say about opinions.

- Now Omar Moreno did impress me. When he said "this is the best day of my life" I thought it was coming from the heart and I felt good for the kid. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

- Can we dump Kenny Rice as emcee (I called the brutal jokes, by the way)? Here's a vote for Jeannine Edwards or even Jerry Bailey to emcee next year's Awards. Some of his comments were waaaay out of line and completely sexist.

- Kudos to Big Drama for winning the Male Sprinter category. I've always been a Drama fan and although he lost at Saratoga to his main competition Majesticperfection, I'm glad he won the Award. Based on his 4 5 year old debut, a track record performance Saturday at Gulfstream, it looks like he's full steam ahead for 2011.

- Another way to put the HoY debate behind us would be a Triple Crown chance in June at Belmont Park. Wouldn't that be sweet?

- Interesting that the DRF voting bloc favored Blame by a pretty wide margin, 38-21.

- No Such Word got a vote denying Blind Luck from being a unanimous selection. Can I get some of the drugs that voter was on?

- Lots of mentions about "the fans" all night long in just about every speech. I'm not a supporter for the fans to vote on these awards. I say leave it to those who cover the sport day in and day out all year long. The NTRA should be trying to recruit new bettors, not fans. The business side of me says that's what pays the bills. Maybe it's time for a leadership change.

- They need to put a time limit on speeches. Maybe they could play Fugue for Tinhorns as the "hook music."

- No mention by the Handicapper of the Year about takeout or boycotts?

- Mike Repole could have been played by a young Al Pacino, no?

Ok, here's our Don Kirshner tribute.....have a good week.

Total Eclipse of the...

Tweet Top 10 Things That Won’t Happen Monday Night

Pletcher! Zenyatta! Blame! Claiborne Farm! It’s the Eclipse Awards from the Fountainebleau Miami Beach Hotel! The excitement is killing me! Ok….it’s time for one of my Top Ten Lists for things that definitely won’t happen Monday night, but we wish they would so it would liven up the annual yawner that is the Eclipse Awards….

10 – LeBron James accidently stops by looking for his 2010 MVP award, even though Kobe beat him by a nose. Take your talents to a different awards ceremony LBJ….

9 – The PlayersBoycott.org group pickets the event, racing press asks…”and who are you again?”

8 – Calvin Borel storms the stage looking for Castellano….he’s informed that Javier is not a finalist and bursts a vein in his forehead.

7 – DRF/NTRA Handicapper of the Year and Canadian Brian Troop steals the show, thanks Andy Beyer for all he knows about handicapping (this one actually may happen).

6 – Dominguez rides six winners at the Big A and catches last minute flight from JFK to collect his Eclipse for Outstanding Jockey.

5 – Todd Pletcher wins his fifth Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer and thanks his fake twitter account for his new found popularity.

4 – Emcee Kenny Rice tells a number of really funny jokes.

3 – Jess Jackson shows up tipsy and mentions the phrase “always a bridesmaid, eh Jerry?” to Moss causing a free-for-all in the Fountainebleau lobby. Seth Hancock comes to Moss' defense.

2 – Mike Repole announces Uncle Mo’s retirement saying he’s way too valuable at stud to run in the Kentucky Derby……and finally the #1 thing that definitely won’t happen on Monday night….

1 – Blame wins Horse of the Year and a nation rejoices…TVG cuts to Ruidoso Downs.

Turn Out The Lights...

Tweet For those not old enough to remember Dandy Don calling MNF with Howard and Frank, you surely missed some true entertainment. You know you're getting old when the guys you watched growing up are starting to pass away. Dandy Don Meredith died yesterday at age 72 of a brain hemorrhage.

I always enjoyed these three and if you see some old clips you know they were smoking cigars and probably nipping at the bottle during the weekly broadcast. It usually made for high comedy television and even when the game was a blowout, you would keep watching to see what Dandy Don might do to keep the audience's attention.

Meredith's trademark song when a game was decided was Willie Nelson's Turn Out The Lights the Party's Over....here's a sound clip from a game where he serenaded the audience.....




From the booth to the racetrack..we're about to Turn Out The Lights on the 2010 Racing Season......

- Zenyatta's retirement turns out the lights on a great racing career. She is the Horse of the Decade regardless if she wins a little statue in January.

- Eskendereya, a promising 3-year old colt turned out the lights too early for us in 2010....oh would could have been....

- They're trying to turn out the lights on the NYC OTB, but they're like a bad penny and they keep turning them back on...

- They turned out the lights at Saratoga in September after a record 40 days of racing...

- They turned out the lights after a unforgettable Breeders' Cup, which ran under the lights for the first time over the two day championship meet.

- A fan favorite, Odysseus, turned out the lights way too soon while on the Derby trail, after a tremendous effort in the Tampa Bay Derby in an unbelievable photo finish.

- The Belmont winner, Drosselmeyer, turned out the lights right after his Triple Crown victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

- Turn out the lights on the Santa Anita Pro-Ride....the party's over.

- Jess Jackson turned out the lights on the amazing Rachel Alexandra after a disappointing 4-year old campaign after being upset in the Personal Ensign at the Graveyard of Favorites.

- Someone tell those folks in the Preakness infield - the party's over!

Any others you can think of?

Here's a clip of one of the MNF openings back in the 70s...classic stuff....enjoy.

D'oh: Belated Recap

Tweet Who am I?

A) Trainer Michelle Nihei after the Marathon

B) Everyone who wagered on Life at Ten

C) Trevor Denman ready to make a lifetime signature call

D) The gate crew in the Juvenile Fillies Turf

E) Jaycito's connections after watching the turn into the backstretch

F) Me, after Shared Account nipped Midday at the wire = totally wrecking my Pick-3.

G) All of the Above

Man, was that quite a weekend. My serious recap for The Buffalo News is here. My not-so-serious recap is here. As in, right here.

I've taken a few days to reflect on the events that occurred in Louisville, Kentucky this past weekend. I was sitting in my neighborhood bar this evening to pick up a couple steak sammys for the Space Gal and I, and overheard not one, but two conversations talking about the Classic and the terrific race that was. Not only did the ratings triple versus the 2009 edition, but people continue to talk about that awesome stretch run by the great Zenyatta. It truly was a thing of beauty. I actually said to the Space Gal..."holy sh!t she's gonna win," during her dramatic drive to reach the wire ahead of the solid and steady Blame. As Patrick eloquently stated in yesterday's Paulick-worthy post, we saw a gear we've never seen before....and what a gear it was.

Horse of the Year, you say is the next debate. Quibble away pundits....I'll go back to reading the latest AJ Jacobs novel (hilarious, by the way) I really couldn't be bothered. Then again, MLB's Golden Gloves were awarded yesterday and I ignored those, too. I'd rather get excited about the Cigar Mile and the Clark Handicap, thank you very much.

One thing that's kind of been lost through this whole, Queen Z thingy, is that one Garret Gomez, got the monkey off his back. Well, maybe not the Derby monkey, but a large chimpanzee. He won a big one, and he beat back Martin Garcia and Lookin at Lucky in the stretch, the mount he was taken off of after the Run for the Roses. I say big congrats to GoGo...it must feel great. A few weeks prior he was feuding with trainer Michael Maker when he refused to mount a horse that just didn't seem right. I obviously don't know all of the facts, but I have new found respect for Gomez, and am really happy he finally got that big W. I've always been a GoGo fan back to my first Derby visit in 2006....a TC race is next....

Wonder if Workforce had a nice flight home? Hope he didn't pay for the expedited passport...

I'd rather peeps (and tweeps) would start talking about her trying Dubai in March (on the synth!)...now that would be a decent discussion. No retirement announcement yet....I can see Jerry do a little globetrottin' with the Big Z...you'd turn the Middle East upside down....

C'mon J-Moss....turn on the red light...

Alphabet Soup for the BC

Tweet
















A is for Avioli, the BC's Big Cheese
B is for Baffert, there's no better quote
C is for Churchill, the 7th time's a charm
D is for Drama, I think he' ll run Big
E is for E Train....make sure you hop aboard
F is for Frankel, we'll miss him this weekend
G is for Goldi vs. Gio, a BC Mile dream matchup
H is for Hot Cha Cha (only cuz I like to say it)
I is for International, the BC's best scenario
J is for JuLep, a newbie jock tweeter
K is for Kentucky, the great bluegrass state
L is for Lucky, ready to roll 7's
M is for Moolah (as in lots to be made)
N is for Night Racing, to be unveiled in the Distaff
O is for Oliver Peslier, who we see but once a year
P is for Pletcher whose loaded for bear
Q is for Quality Road, stuck on the rail
R is for Risk (without it there's no Reward)
S is for Stay Thirsty and drink lots of fluids
T is for Twenty (as in wins in a row)
U is for Uncle, who comes in with lots of Mo
V is for the 'Ville, it's my kinda town
W is for Win & You're In, a qualifier of sorts
X is for horses thrown out of your monster Pick 4
Y is for Yellow (which goes well with purple)
Z is for Zenyatta.....best of the century?

Got Woof?

Tweet It's Breeders' Cup draw day in Louisville and 168 horses have obtained a spot in the starting gates for the two-day world championships. Some notes and quotes about the draw:

BC Classic

- Lookin at Lucky (6-1 ML) drew the outside post (12) in the Classic, the complete opposite of his horrid rail draw in the Derby. Although this was the cause of his second place finish in last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita when he was in gate 13, I don't seem to think this will be as much trouble with the extra eighth of a mile. Even his trainer Bob Baffert seemed somewhat relieved: "It’s not that horrible, it’s not the end of the world. I’m just glad he’s out of the one-hole."

- Quality Road (5-1 ML) drew the rail, not the best place to be, but I think the fact that Paddy O'Prado is inside of him and Haynesfield will probably shoot to the lead from the three hole shouldn't be too much of an issue for the Road. If the track is souped up on Saturday (probably not says the conspiracy theorist in me) look out for this one who has been flying under the radar since his loss to Blame at the wire in the Whitney. Remember the Saratoga track was deep and tiring for most of the summer. If the track resembles anything like Gulfstream's speedway in the earlier races on Saturday, I'll be taking note with my bankroll.

- Zenyatta (8-5 ML favorite) drew the eight hole and the BC hype machine is rolling. Her every move being glorified. It seems like everyone in Louisville wants her to win. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but let's not go overboard. There's still a race to be won. Owner Jerry Moss liked the draw: “That is excellent. Eight is our lucky number. We’re very happy to be here. If we didn’t think she was up to the task, we wouldn’t have brought her.”

BC Juvie

- Boys at Tosconova (5-2 ML) drew the two hole and has Ramon Dominguez aboard. Rick Dutrow has rested him since closing day at Saratoga where he won the Hopeful (G1). Will he be ready to roll? Dutrow thinks so: “He showed in the Hopeful he can sit behind horses and rate. He’s done everything we’ve asked and he’s ready. I’ve absolutely loved this horse from the first time I laid eyes on him. If Uncle Mo shows up with his best game we are going to be in for one hell of a show.”

- The Todd Squad Stay Thirsty (8-1) and Uncle Mo (7-5 ML favorite) will be right next to each other in the six and seven spots, respectively. Respect the "other Pletcher horse," which in this case is Stay Thirsty, with Javier Castellano aboard. The Bernardini colt finished secon to Boys at Tosconova by just under two lengths. I think I need to review the Turk's prep course for this race.

- The two SoCal horses have to be respected also, Jaycito (8-1 ML) and JP's Gusto (10-1 ML), who finished 1-2 in the Norfolk (G1) at Hollywood Park's Oak Tree meet. JP's trainer David Hofmans on the draw of the four spot: “We’re OK with it. I would have preferred the outside, but I’m just glad we’re not in the 1 or the 2.”

That's all for now....appears most of the trainers are woofing up their horses in the pre-race hype. I'll be hunkering down with the past performances for the next two nights and we'll post some picks later in the week. Also, keep an eye over on the Handicappers' Corner over at ThoroFan where most of the races will have a handicap by one of our TBA bloggers. So be sure to head over there and check it out.

Genie in a Bottle

Tweet So a genie is released from the bottle and gives you three wishes for the Breeders' Cup. What are your three wishes?

Mine (aside from them all coming home safe) are below:

1. Zenyatta wins the Classic (hopefully at 4-1), sews up Horse of the Year and drives attendance, TV ratings and makes headlines across America.

2. No rain at Churchill Downs either day...the last two Derbys have been super soakers. Let's not make the handicapping any more difficult than it already is and have some good weather to boost the attendance figures upwards to 80,000 under the Twin Spires.

3. A superstar like Uncle Mo or Stay Thirsty emerges from the Juvie and gives us some Triple Crown hopes for 2011. I still think Lookin at Lucky with the right post on Derby day might have had a shot at it.

What say you blog reader?

Tens to Think About

Tweet Ten is my favorite number. I wore it in high school, college and the Accountants' Softball League. So naturally today was a big day for me (10/10/10). Unfortunately, my Bills bit the dust in the second half so it wasn't such a great day for the ole' hometown h(z)eroes. So a month away from the Breeders' Cup, I've come up with 10 questions I have been wondering about the big weekend at Churchill Downs.


10. What race will Gio Ponti go in? As an omnisurface star, will he take on Zenyatta again on the dirt in the $5M Classic or face two time (Turf) Mile champ Goldikova? Neither seems too inviting to me.

9. Will I recognize any horse that runs in the Marathon? You probably can answer that one.

8. How many bombs will win at Churchill? 3? 4? You know it's going to happen. It does every year. The question is can you find the needle in the haystack. Get to work early on the advance PP's.

7. If it rains, and the track comes up muddy or sloppy, will Zenyatta scratch? And if she does, will it dash her Horse of the Year chances? I hope it's sunny, this would be a horrible thing. Plus I can't deal with what the next two months on Twitter will be like.

6. Does Lookin at Lucky have what it takes to win the Classic? I say yes. His BC Juvie is still a race I play over and over in my mind....he wins that race 9 times out of 10. I can bet that Baffert wants another crack at Churchill Downs with Lucky not being on the rail.

5. Is the Ladies Classic shaping up as one of the better Cup races over the entire weekend? Blind Luck vs. Havre de Grace III IV not to mention Life at Ten (gotta love the 10s) and Unrivaled Belle.

4. Will Hammerin' Hank have any dough left in his Piggy Bank? Dude was shaking like a leaf on camera on ESPN2 today. I miss Jimmy the Greek and Pete Axthelm.

3. Saturday attendance - over 75,000? 2006- 75,132; 2000 - 76,043; 1998 - 80,452 and 1994 - 62.597. I'm going with the over.

2. Will the Arc winner Workforce and/or race favorites Fame and Glory ship over the pond? Hope so.

1. Can Quality Road win the Classic? Randy Moss said on the ESPN broadcast today that he doesn't think the distance is an issue for QR.

Whaddya think?


Hat tip to Val at Foolish Pleasure to get me to add this photo:

Super Saturday: Tape Delayed Live Blog

Tweet When the NTRA website crashed today in the middle of the TVG/NTRA tournament, I just had to laugh to myself. Those folks would have to tape delay a live blog. Which got me to thinkin'....if the very talented Michigan blogger guy can do a live blog in real time, I certainly could do one in tape delay (ala the NTRA).....

9:15am: I'm in Rollie Pollies with the Space Gal and Space Kid. The tumbling exercises are fantastic, not to mention the big blowup slide.

10:30am: Great Pumpkin Farm, Clarence. Kettle Corn - check. Horse drawn carriage ride - check. Kiddie Train ride - check.

1:00pm: Petsmart. Pick up Tanner Jones. Looks like he was fru-frued. Apologize to my dog. Licks hand. All is well.

1:05pm: Check phone. Belmont off the turf in a couple races. Start wondering what time I have to make changes in Equibase Handicapping Challenge. Looks like one of my selections scratched. Drive fast.

1:20pm: Get home. Make change on Equibase site. Eat lunch.

2:25pm: Space Kid Nap Time = TVG.

3:23pm: Getting ready for the G1 Vosburgh. Sitting this one out. The Godolphins always tough off the layoff. I have longshot Wall Street Wonder in the Equibase contest. Girolamo runs away with it. Looks sharp in doing so.

3:45pm: Finalizing my lone Belmont wager of the day, a $24 Pick 4: 2,5,7/1,4/7,9,10,11/2. Singled Blame in the Gold Cup, feeling pretty good about it. Only Fly Down worries me. First leg, the G1 Flower Bowl, coming up in 15 minutes. Val at Foolish Pleasure tweets out that she likes Changing Skies. I think about a backup ticket. Nah, I'm staying with my gut.

4:02pm: Ave!!!! 10-1!!!! Javier!!! Much rejoicing in the Space Camp. But it's only the first leg. Settle down soldier. Changing Skies a game second. Thinking a lot of tickets just bit the dust. First good move in Equibase tourney. Feel pretty good about the next leg with both Unrivaled Belle and Life at Ten.

4:19pm: Receive email that NTRA website can't handle the traffic and the contest is postponed and will be rescheduled. I know of one handicapper who had the two $20 winners at MTH who can't be too happy.

4:35pm: Life at Ten pulls away to win the G1 Beldame. No crazy fractions today, just a solid stalking trip and solid victory. See ya in Louisville Life @ 10. Two down, two to go. Next race is wide open.

4:37pm: Space Kid's up. Diaper change. Have a potato chip. See the horsies?

5:12pm: Had to interrupt a mean game of Play-doh to watch the Joe Hirsch. Space Kid's rooting for Paddy (likes the Irish name). Winchester closes late and we're live to Blame and a $300++ will pay. Woo hoo. What could go wrong? Hmm...should I hedge? I only have $24 into it...let me play some farm animals and give it some thought.

5:30pm: Decide to hedge on Fly Down and Rail Trip only. With $2 bet on Hold Me Back just in case. Think to myself....only Haynesfield can beat me....nah...never happen.

5:51pm: WTF. Thinking of tweeting "Man, this game is humbling." Decide to cook spaghetti and meatballs instead. Holla! I love spaghetti and meatballs!

6:00pm: Send Space Gal picture of Space Kid covered in spaghetti and meatballs. She's out with girlfriends seeing the Facebook movie, didn't you see my status report?

6:11pm: Lookin at Lucky splashes home emphatically in the Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park. He looms large in the Classic. Second choice?

6:25pm: Bath time. Only thing that makes me forget a bad beat is the Space Kid's smile when he's in the tub.

7:01pm: Space Kid safely in bed, stories read, bottle in hand...Totally forgot about the Hawthorne Gold Cup. Decide to watch the race replay before the Lady's Secret on ESPN between football games. In the Knight Sky's contest I play Redding Colliery over 3 horses in a $10 trifecta. He wires it and I hit the tri (cyberbucks, folks) and a $5 saver exacta. Think I might have won this week's contest...make note to self to check it out later.

7:12pm: Flip from TVG to ESPN. Larry Collmus is going to call the race for ESPN. Wonder if he's there or in studio? Hmmm...I need to know these things. I play a $1 tri: Zenyatta/Switch/3 other horses for $3 and to get my OTH PP's for free.

7:16pm: Zenyatta last of 5 fillies and mares after a half in 48 and 3. Shocker.

7:17pm: The 3yo filly Switch gave a valiant try, but the big Z does her usual late close and beats her by a half length at the wire. The $1 trifecta pays $3.40, I make 40 cents. LOL. Mrs. Moss tells Jeannine Edwards that Z won because it was Sting and her best friend Margie's birthday. Who knew?

7:20pm: The Big Z is doing her thing in the winner's circle. Super cool. 19 for 19. Lucky, Quality, Blame all await her arrival in Louisville. Should be special.

7:25pm: I've already handicapped the next two races for the TVG/NTRA contest (see 4:19), so thinking about dipping my toes in the late Pick 3 at Hollywood. What the hell....it's only money. Rally caps.

7:30pm: Pick 3 crafted: 3,8,9/2,7/4,6,7 for $18. The 9 in the first leg was my contest pick (Bejarano and first time lasix) and went with Twirling Candy and Richard's Kid in the middle leg and three in the finale.

7:56pm: Second stakes win for Godolphin with my #9 Hibaayeb (GB). Ok, off to a good start. Goodwood on deck. My three horses complete the tri that pays $167 for 2 bucks. Oh, so that's how this is going to go, eh.

8:28pm: Can't figure out why folks are backing the sprinter Crown of Thorns? Am I missing something. Race unfolds and Twirling Candy goes a little early.....and Richard's Kid slips by on the inside and wins at 7-1. Is there another horse on the planet that is dismissed more. He didn't beat me today. Live to 3 horses paying $365 (the 4 - Mr. Katz), $178 (the 6 - Yodelin Dan, my contest pick) and $117 (the 7 - favorite When We Met).

8:32pm: On knees....oh racing gods can you let me hit one today....puh-lease. Thoughts of hedging reappear. I swat them away. Only the #3 scares me. Go big or go home. The #3 is no Haynesfield.

9:01pm: Oh yeah, Yodelin Dan with the late close blows by When We Met and we are in the black, baby.

9:15pm: Hey, I should do a tape delay live blog. Nah, that's a dumb idea.

My Alphabet Soup

Tweet Alphabet Soup – Space Man Style

A is for Affirmed and Alydar, a rivalry for the ages.

B is for Beulah and Belmont , a couple of Parks and the Bid.

C is for Cauthen and Curlin, the best of their times.

D is for Del Mar, where the turf meets the surf.

E is for Exacta, my favorite bet. (You thought I was going to be egocentric didn’t you?)

F is for Foolish Pleasure, the Hall of Fame Derby winner.

G is for Goose and Tonic, my racetrack drink.

H is for Hialeah, the gem of the South.

I is for IRS Window and 1099’s.

J is for Jockey Club, the keepers of the sport. (cue laugh track)

K is for Kelso, the late blooming champ.

L is for Losing Ticket , stay away from me, please.

M is for Man o’War, need I say more?

N is for Northern Dancer, cause it’s in the blood.

O is for Oak Tree, wherever it may be.

P is for Preakness, the second jewel to see.

Q is for Quinella, a funky kind of bet.

R is for Ruffian, whose movie brought me to tears (first since Brian Piccolo)

S is for several of the best (Secretariat, the Slew and Saratoga)

T is for Thomas the Tank Engine (sorry, Space Kid was editing)….it’s actually for Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance, your source for turf news and whatnot.

U is for "U got to be kidding me" for the photo finish that cost me the Pick 4.

V is for Victory Ride (and getting close to the end).

W is for a Win bet on a longshot play.

X is for the horse that Crist throws away.

Y is for Yonaguska, a fine sire indeed.

Z is for Zenyatta, how about a repeat?

Is Z's Campaign Weak Sauce?

Tweet The picture to the left was taken last fall in the packed paddock at Santa Anita Park moments before the historic Breeders' Cup Classic wherein the great Zenyatta became the first female horse to win the year end "championship" race. This week's Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance WTF topic is "Can Zenyatta gain anything by running on the West Coast again?"

While the last two years' campaigns could be considered "weak sauce" by some (sans last year's Classic - deemed by some as a home game), I'm going to defend the big mare and list my reasons why....And this coming from the author of a tongue-in-cheek entry named The Top 10 Reasons Why Big Z Won't Come East. This is why I don't disagree with the way she is being handled....

1. There's only one race that counts remaining this year. The Big Z's next two races don't really matter to anyone except a historian or two. Her connections are just trying to get her ready for The Big One on Saturday, November 6th. Basically she doesn't need to gain anything at this point. She needs to be ready for BC Classic Day, period. That will be when she'll face her stiffest competition to date (see this weekend's Whitney), so she needs to be in top condition on that day.

2. She's proven on dirt. There's no reason to ship her across the country and have her run in the heat and humidity of Saratoga, she's already won on dirt at Oaklawn and should handle it at Churchill Downs. I'd be shocked if they run her at Belmont in the Beldame next, also.

3. Rachel is no longer the target. She showed up in April for the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, and Rachel didn't (which probably was a good thing as she obviously wasn't ready). Chances are they'll never meet (except in the Hall of Fame). I imagine Jess Jackson will run her in the Ladies Classic/Distaff and call it a day. Z's connections are focused on bigger and better targets.

4. Back to back Classics would cement her legacy. It would also dispel the notion that she beat a weak field in 2009, which is complete poppycock (I knew I could work that word into a post someday).

5. 20-0 would be pretty cool. Staying out west gives her the best chance to retire with a pretty remarkable record. And winning her last west coast appearance in a race named after her would also add to the legend.

I know my thoughts are probably in the minority, but I still think focusing on #1 above is the key -- there's only one race to get ready for, if she loses the Hirsch or her next start and wins the Classic at Churchill, who's going to remember that she lost the Hirsch, or for that matter, give a damn about it.

Not me. And certainly there are 3 million reasons why Mr. Moss won't.

Jackson Shakes The Bank Again

Tweet The awesome group called the TBA (that I am a card carrying member of) has decided to try a new twist this Friday. I'm going to call it the Winning (hot) Topic Friday (or WTF for short). After a short vote (or dictator decision) one topic a week is the buzz every Friday. Many of the member bloggers will be discussing today's topic and you can find them here.

Today's WTF: What do you think about Jess Jackson demanding a raising of the purse in many of the races Rachel Alexandra shows up at? Is it a good move for the track to pay this fee in hopes of more handle?

My thoughts on this week's WTF.....do you remember the deep closer Better Talk Now's rabbit? The horse's name was Shake the Bank, generally ridden by second circuit rider whose name escapes me that I met at a bar outside Gulfstream a few years ago, but I digress... That's what this situation reminds me of. Jess Jackson shakes the track's bank and he noodles an additional $150 thousand clams out of them and makes them change the date to meet "Steve's" training schedule. Talk about a WTF. Now, I know all the arguments that "it's strictly business" and why wouldn't he want to get the "biggest bang for his buck", and he "holds all the cards", yada yada....but man, controlling purses and race dates? Talk about the inmates running the asylum.

Now don't get me wrong here, I say big kudos to Monmouth Park, as they had the foresight (and apparently the cash) to communicate with the Jackson camp to make it happen, but where was NYRA? Asleep at the wheel? Counting their chickens with Rachel firmly nested in one of their coops (taking up space, nonetheless)? Chucky is "puzzled" and "disappointed"? How about he just got played by Monmouth (again - See Super Saver)? It's all about communication, and apparently there was none. It's like Deal or No Deal and Monmouth had a green lined suitcase and NYRA had a paper bag. I think it was a smart play by the Jersey Boyz. Hopefully, RA shows up after shaking the bank this time (see Apple Blossom).

Shockingly (this is sarcasm), the race didn't fit into Zenyatta's schedule. Although the Big Z could be showing up in Louisville with a few more Grade 1 wins notched on her record versus a big fat goose egg on Rachel's come November. Which will probably lead the Jackson camp to enter her in the Distaff (aka Ladies Classic) instead of the big hoedown.

In other news, these parts are getting excited about the Queen's Plate and Keith from Triple Dead Heat (who came up with the WTF idea BTW), our Canadian resident TBA blogger has a post up on the Queen's Plate over at the ThoroFan Handicapper's Corner (sponsored by TBA Blogs). Make sure you check out his thoughts and selections.

Lastly, check out a new thoroughbred blog by former Buffalonian and radio and TV journalist Scott Jagow called Horsepuckey. He is making a bold move to leave the journalism area and enter into the racing industry, enrolling in the University of Louisville's one-year Equine Business program. He's someone who's willing to delve into a new field and share his path with us. Make sure you check him out.

Top Ten Reasons Zenyatta Won’t Come East

Tweet With all due apologies to David Letterman…..

10. Doesn’t wear watch, trouble dealing with time zone change.

9. Figures Rachel will run in the Zenyatta Stakes if she comes east (just to spite her).

8. NYRA won’t print Go Zenyatta banners without government subsidy.

7. Moss doesn’t know Manny, can't get any love in the Turf Terrace.

6. Miffed there’s no Zenyatta giveaway day at the Spa.

5. Thinks detention barn is for the birds.

4. Can’t get a table at Siro’s.

3. Figures she’ll be there in a few years anyway (Hall of Fame Ceremony)

2. Has a Dodger autograph session scheduled on Woodward Day.

1. Prefers Kimmel to Letterman.

So What Did We Learn?

Tweet Another triple crown season is in the books and the count is now at 32 consecutive years without a horse taking down the three race series.

So what did we learn?

1) The best horse during the Derby prep season, Eskendereya, never made it to the gate of a triple crown race. Eerily similar to last year's best horse in training prior to the first Saturday in May, I Want Revenge who scratched the morning of the Derby. I think I jinxed Esky by buying a Zayat shirt the week before the Derby....note to self...buy the shirt after the first leg.

2) The Preakness appears to once again produce perhaps the best 3yo. The last six winners of the Preakness are Lookin at Lucky, Rachel Alexandra, Big Brown, Curlin, Bernardini and Afleet Alex. Not a bad crew.

3) The Belmont continues to be one of the most difficult races to handicap for me. The added distance, the unknown of how the pace scenario will unfold and the addition of new blood to the series all can humble the best handicappers. Kudos to Paul Daley of the Lowell Sun who nailed the win, exacta and trifecta in his pre-race selections.

4) Folks continue to complain about the major networks not showing the race before the big event (Woodford, Dixie and Manhattan) on all three telecasts. It hasn't happened in the past few years, and I wouldn't expect this to change. The TV coverage is for the event only and not horse racing purists. We need to deal with this. Hardcore racing fans have difficulty understanding this, the networks shouldn't pull/block the simulcast feed though, this is what we should be yelling about. If we can't watch it on NBC/ABC, let us watch it on the simulcast feed. Blocking it only makes us angry and write nasty things about you.

5) The momentum we gained in 2009 with Rachel Alexandra's super season that drove national interest in the sport to recent highs, seems to have waned. It's tough sledding when a pre-race song gets more play in the media (and racing blogs) then the race itself. Ugh.

So what do we have to look forward to in the coming months here in our little niche of a sport?

- With the 3yo division wide open (some would say in disarray) going into the summer, it should set up some great racing in races such as the Haskell, the Jim Dandy and the Travers on the East Coast.

- Is Rachel Alexandra ready to step up her game after a couple of second place finishes against older fillies and mares or will her connections say uncle?

- Zenyatta. Quality Road. Breeders' Cup Classic for the ages?

- 40 days of racing at the Spa. While some of the racing may be watered down, the Stakes races are second to none.

- Keeping an eye on the Monmouth experiment. So far, so good.

- The Canadian Triple Crown. (psst....the Queen is coming!)

- The return of the aforementioned, I Want Revenge.

What are you looking forward to?

Nickel and Diming

Tweet Not sure why I named the post as such, but since I had this cool picture of a Buffalo Nickel, I figured I'd share. Pretty cool, huh?

There will be no nickel and diming this weekend as some big races loom on the Derby front for precious graded earnings, as well as the unbeaten Zenyatta (#1 BetAmerica.com F&M [120] in the TBA Standings to the right) shooting for sweet 16 back on the Oaklawn dirt for the first time in two years. The race is scheduled to go off at 7:25pm EST on HRTV and DRF.com is also streaming the race live.

On the local front, I'm planning a trip up nord (that's Viking for north) to Woodbine on Sunday to see EquiSpace favorite La Chica Rica for the first time! She's shipping in to run in race 4, an $80K optional claimer NX3. Trying the poly for the first time and in for a tag ($80K). This is her second race of 2010, her first being against males at Mountaineer last month after a long layoff. She's in against a tough crew here, but it'll be worth the two hour trek up the Queen-E to check her out. Definitely investing a few dimes on the 7 year old mare.

The Turk has a post up handicapping this weekend's Toyota Bluegrass Stakes over at the TBA Handicappers' Corner over at ThoroFan. You can always pick up some good tips from the ole Turk, so make sure you check it out. No nickel and diming in his plays over there.

I'll leave it to the Turk to handicap the Bluegrass and the polytrack, but we'll take a quick look at the Arkansas Derby here (and I do mean quick)...I'm leaning towards D. Wayne and Dublin, third off the layoff angle, and having some decent works since the Rebel, with Noble's Promise and Super Saver underneath. The horse that has me intrigued, however, is New Madrid, coming off his maiden victory for trainer Tim Ice (remember him?). He might be worth rubbing a few nickels together as a longshot play. The Rock Hard Ten colt is a horse for the course and shouldn't be too quick of a toss. Make sure to tune into NBC on Saturday afternoon for the two Derby preps.

Now don't be nickel and diming this weekend...go big or go home! Now what other site can go from Bret Michaels to Bing in a single bound?

The Aftermath

Tweet If you're a Rachel Alexandra fan or just the IT guy in charge of the live stream at the NTRA....please....just step away from the ledge. It's going to be ok.

Lots of folks would peg me as an East Coast homie for Raitch, but to be honest, I'm just a fan. I had a feeling (and called it...well kinda) based on the way his connections were talking ("she's not 100 percent fit") that they were setting us up for a not so Rachel-like performance. But that's racing. I don't believe for a second that they will retire her like some folks do, only 'cause there's 3 million reasons for her to give it a go on April 9th in Hot Springs. Zenyatta, who I think is fantastic and awe-inspiring, still has questions away from her sweet spot on the West Coast, won going away today. Of course, she has been training terrifically and split the seems beautifully in winning the Santa Margarita for her 15th straight win. Smith was magnificent guiding her through traffic (I do wonder if he was riding at Aqueduct in the 70s if the NY jocks would let him through like that) and she showed her championship form in winning. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the Race for the Ages doesn't fall apart at the seems. JJ was talking about a triple tiara of races, so to back out after a prep race seems a bit absurd to me, so I'm not buying it.

As for the NTRA's much ballyhooed live stream of the races by his highness....well...um...Free and Easy? You get what you pay for, I guess. Did you really expect it to come off smoothly? It's not any different when you post a comment over there, it shows up about a week later, so why would anyone think it was going to go smoothly. Just another feather in our fearless leader's cap. Thank goodness for ESPNews, who decided today to, at least, pick up Zenyatta's race. I am fortunate (and semi-smart enough) to have a TwinSpires account which enabled me to see the Fair Grounds on HD live. Which was lucky today since my live stream of my HRTV internet account was interrupted by bad weather in NYC. Speaking of lucky.....

My #1 pick in the wireplayers.com Derby Dozen poll, Lookin at Lucky showed the recent west coast form on Oaklawn dirt (see Gayego and Papa Clem - h/t to sidfernando) winning the Rebel taking out a game Noble's Promise (another synth horse) in the stretch. If not for the bad post position in the BC Juvenile Lucky would be undefeated right now. Let's hope he stays healthy. My pick, Dublin, ran a decent race, but I'll have to go back to the drawing board to see what went wrong.

Odysseus showed his muster in an incredible stretch run (those were some tired horses) to grab victory from the jaws of defeat from Schoolyard Dreams at the wire to win his first try in a graded stake. The king of Ithaca didn't take 10 years to get home in this one in battling back after losing the lead in the stretch. One to watch.

The Space Gal Stables RTTR squad had a tremendous day with 3 winners (Odysseus, Lucky and Sidney's Candy in the San Felipe) and a third (Caracortado) with a win from both Gomez and Baffert. She's en fuego. As for yours truly, welcome to Buffalo (queue You're as Cold as Ice from Foreigner).

Remember....don't jump.

Rock Me Amadeus

Tweet If you can't get excited about racing this weekend, I don't know what to tell ya. Saturday is action-packed from coast to coast and I know I'll be glued to my computer with racing form in hand all afternoon. Let's take a trip around the US and A, in the Space Shuttle to see what's in store.....starting on the East Coast with the Sunshine State.

Tampa Bay Downs. A pretty nifty late Pick 4 shaping up with four straight stakes races starting in race 8 ( the Hillsborough Stakes - G3) featuring the ever present Mushka and Lady Shakespeare. The second leg is the Florida Oaks (G3) featuring Breeders Cup Juvenile Filly champ She Be Wild, where she'll take another crack at the real stuff after a 5th place finish in the Forward Gal further south at Gulfstream. The third leg is the Turf Dash Stakes with Tampa track favorite Musket Man trying a turf sprint, Ramon Dominguez flying down for the mount. The last leg is the meet's signature race, the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Ramon takes the mount on Pletcher's Super Saver and this will be the first real class test for highly touted Odysseus. This Pick 4 looks like my must-play for Saturday.

Pointing the Space Shuttle westerly along the Gulf Coast for a stop in New Orleans and the Fair Grounds will highlight the return of the 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies S. Off since the Woodward last September, this Apple Blossom prep will show us how the rest has treated her. I predicted back around New Years that she would lose a race this year (when Zenyatta was unofficially retired), this could be the spot after the long layoff, although it's highly doubtful. Not much else on the card excited me so I headed up Route 65 North to.....

Oaklawn Park. A couple good preps for the Oaks and Derby, respectively will be run in Hot Springs on Saturday. The G3 Honeybee is an Oaks prep for 3yo fillies and a couple horses we saw last summer at the Spa in Beautician and Decelerator as two year olds on opening day. Beautician finished second that day to Hot Dixie Chick and Decelerator (who I bet on) finished sixth after a bad start. The big race at Oaklawn, however, is the Rebel Stakes (G2) and a huge prep race on the road to Louisville. Lookin at Lucky (still my #1 on the Wireplayers.com Derby Dozen) puts on shades and faces some formidable foes in Dublin and synthetic specialist Noble's Promise. I will be rooting for Dublin here (note rooting, not betting). So from here we'll jump on a 747 - and westward ho....to beautiful California and

Santa Anita Park. Movie Stars. Bubbling Crude. Zenyatta. The amazing Zen (my mouth is still open in the Santa Anita grandstand watching her make her patented move in the BC Classic) returns to the scene of the crime where she trounced the boys to become the first mare to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. She should destroy the field in the Santa Margarita (it'll be late in the afternoon on the East Coast...a margarita may be just the medicine depending how that Tampa Pick 4 ends up) taking on eight other fillies and mares going a mile and an eighth. But that's not it from LA, we've got another Derby prep in the San Felipe, a race that should separate the West Coast contenders from the pack. Robert B. Lewis winner Caracortado will be out to prove that his last was no fluke and Kentucky is in his sights, but the competition looks tough. This could be the best race of the day with Derby hopeful Sidney's Candy (in the Space Gal's RTR stable), Lewis runner-up Dave in Dixie (I like this horse plenty) and American Lion (I don't like this horse plenty). The most intriguing horse in the field is Pletcher's Interactif, who comes off the turf after four straight to run on the Pro Ride. His last dirt race was the Sanford on Spa day 2 last July.

This is as rockin' a racing weekend can get....

Buzz Level

Tweet Happy Valentine's Day. With a lot going on in the major sports lately (Super Bowl, NBA all-star game, college hoops) and the Winter Olympics kicking off, I thought I'd grade out my take on the current buzz level regarding some of the second level sports starting with......

HORSE RACING. Grade: A minus. It couldn't get much better right now with the announcement of the big race on April 9th between 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and the defending Breeders' Cup Classic champion, Zenyatta. Add to that the Road to the Roses is starting to heat up (a great prep on President's Day in the Southwest tomorrow)....I'm thinking we have a bit of a buzz going here. Don't call me a homer, we have good karma right now.

GOLF. Grade: D. Are they playing golf right now? Has any sport fallen into the doldrums quicker than PGA Golf. Mickelson and Woods are both skipping the Accenture Match Play tourney. They need oxygen (see Tiger Woods) stat.

TENNIS. Grade: C plus. Coming off a ho hum Australian Open. Who won the women's championship? No clue. Roger Federer is the only reason this sport gets an average grade from moi.

CURLING. Grade C. Who knew the Brits invented it? Could pick up this week with some prime time Olympic coverage. Not.

HOCKEY. Grade A. I'm not counting it as a major right now (mainly because it's my blog), but the buzz is huge here and the Canucks need to win to make up for the opening night malfunctions and to break the Great White North's gold medal jinx (when hosting). Looking forward to watching Buffalo's Ryan Miller between the pipes for the red, white and blue.

NASCAR. Grade B plus. Go Daddy.com. 'Nuff said.

SOCCER. Grade B. Are you ready for the Vuvuzela? Get ready to be annoyed. It's like watching a game in a bee's hive. Grade is B only due to fact it is a World Cup year.

BOXING. Grade D. Can you name the current heavyweight champ (without googling)? Me neither.

AMERICA'S CUP. Grade F. What happened to the days of Ted Turner trash talking the Aussies and Kiwis? News flash: The Kiwis won this morning and some New Zealander won his fourth cup!

BEER PONG. Grade B. Lots of buzz.

So I'd say we have as much buzz going out there in the minors as any of the others. Hopefully we can build on this over the next few weeks and there are no hiccups in either of the fantastic duo's prep races....

Friday Night Fights

Tweet I wasn't totally off board when I warned in Sunday's post not to make your reservations to the Apple Blossom just yet, because if you did, you'll be at Oaklawn Park a week early (six days to be exact). As most of you already know, the race has been moved back to April 9th, a Friday night. This immediately set off a firestorm of naysayers bemoaning the Friday date and the moving back of the race. My take? I say, hurray. You couldn't ask for a better lead in on ESPN (assuming they will televise it) with Masters Friday wrapping up around 7.30pm EST, especially if Tiger is playing. Most of my partners in crime typically take that Friday afternoon off and head to a local watering hole to watch the golf action and throw back a few Labatts. Most of us on the East Coast will be out of work by race time and it will be around 4pm on the West Coast (happy hour!). If they promoted this race of the ages during the Masters telecast, it could do wonders to boost the awareness of this race and generate huge TV numbers.

If you are looking to make the trip to the Hot Springs, Arkansas track for the big weekend (the Arkansas Derby is on Saturday - Oaklawn's closing day), it appears you most likely have to fly into Little Rock to get to Hot Springs. Since I am an East Coaster, I had no sense of geography or any idea how far Little Rock is from Hot Springs. A quick google search told me that the cities are 53.1 miles apart and if you decide to hoof it from Little Rock, it'll take around 17 hours to make the same trek.

I think it's a good thing to change things up by racing early Friday evening; the track owner is putting up big dough ($5M), so he too deserves to make a few sheckles with back-t0-back big racing days. Plus it should boost the economy whereby a lot of folks will make a weekend out of it. It's ironic after the uproar that occurred when the Breeders' Cup moved all the filly & mare races to the so-called Filly Friday, that the two best horses of 2009 will be part of a spectacular Filly Friday Night Fight at Oaklawn in April.

That is, of course, if all goes according to Hoyle. Fingers crossed.