I realize that Thoroughbred Times was pretty late to the blog party, but that was not for lack of trying on the news editor's part.
We launched our blogs in November 2008 with Sales Editor Pete Denk's From the Ring to the Racetrack and bloodstock agent Dan Kenny's No Holds Barred. I joined the fray with my Big-Event Blog in late April in time for the Triple Crown season.
I love the idea of interacting with people online, which is why I joined the blogosphere in August 2001. I maintained ItalianOlio.com for five years, competing in the first annual Ultimate Blogger online competition in 2005 (I finished last) and winning a 2004 anti-bloggie award for most caffeinated blogger (for high-energy posts, I guess). Since then I've maintained blogs dedicated to Thoroughbred Times's annual chili cook-off as well as a countdown to my upcoming dinner at The French Laundry but neither lasted.
Now I'm writing about what I love most, and I hope that passion comes through in my posts. More than that, though, I want this blog to be a part of the Thoroughbred racing community. Just as Teresa Genaro's and Lisa Grimm's entries at their BelmontStakes.com blogs inspired some of my posts from the past week, so too do I hope to inspire their (and other's) creativity.
The first Thoroughbred racing blog I remember reading was Jessica Chapel's eponymous JessicaChapel.com. She still maintains that site as well as RaceDay360.com. I'm sure there were others at least around that time if not before, but hers is the earliest I remember. Even more impressive is that it's still going strong (v2.0 now) and definitely one of my favorite racing-related websites.
Steve Crist of Daily Racing Form also deserves a mention in terms of pioneering a racing blog. Although his Cristblog is less than two years old, his Derby week, Saratoga, and Breeders' Cup week diaries on DRF.com were web logs even if not referred to as such by the website. His insights into the racing industry are second to none, and his discussion of pick N bets and his wagering strategies when placing those bets have not only improved my handicapping and betting but also likely increased handle throughout the country by getting people more excited about these types of wagers.
Other racing-related blogs I enjoy reading not already mentioned include Joe Nevills' Michigan-bred Claimer, Dana Byerly's Greenbutgame, Patrick Patten's Handride (even though I never agree with him), and Kevin Martin's Colin's Ghost (I'd link to Jennie Rees's blog on the Louisville Courier-Journal site, but I can't find it. Brutal!).
My vote for racing observer who should have a blog but doesn't goes to Thoroughbred Times Washington, D.C., correspondent John Scheinman.
The one thing all these blogs have in common is they make me think about the game and the industry, which in turn hopefully improves the content that I affect in the Thoroughbred Times family of products, which include a weekly magazine, daily e-newsletter, a website, a bunch of cool seasonal publications, and the occasional book.
Hopefully my contributions improve what you're all writing and observing about the greatest game in the world. But even if not, keep doing it. This is a game based on opinions—those backed in the entry box and at the betting window—the Internet should benefit from those opinions as well.
4 soothsayers: