RE: The United Nations
Was that fun or what? With the exception of Dreaming of Anna in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, I don't think I've ever enjoyed a front-running victory as much as I did watching Presious Passion win the United Nations on Saturday at Monmouth Park. He's like the bizarro world's version of Silky Sullivan. I have to think whereever he enters next will also include a rabbit or two from rival barns.
RE: Churchill Downs
The meet ended on Sunday, but I made my final trip there for live racing until after the Breeders' Cup on Saturday and had an enjoyable time as always. The card was good and even featured an Ellis Park preview in the form of a race for $5,000 claimers who haven't won a race in six months. The most interesting thing about my trip was not the racing, though, but what people were talking about. Even two days after the track closed the curtain on three days of night racing, the excitement over the crowds was palatable. Clearly the track made a lot of money on the events, and the brass walked around beaming.
RE: Mine That Bird's jockey issues
It looks as if Mine That Bird's jockey issues are solved at least until through August with Saturday's announcement that Racing Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith would again pilot the Kentucky Derby winner in the West Virginia Derby and Travers Stakes. Smith was aboard when Mine That Bird finished second to Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness Stakes but hopped off for the Belmont because of a committment to ride for Jerry and Ann Moss in the Charles Whittingham Handicap.
The Mosses own undefeated champion Zenyatta, who could contest the Breeders' Cup Classic this year, which is probably why Smith didn't committ to riding Mine That Bird beyond the Travers.
Calvin Borel, who won the Derby aboard Mine That Bird and finished third on him in the Belmont Stakes, would not committ to riding the gelding even in the West Virginia Derby because he wanted to keep his options open to ride Warrior's Reward the same day at Saratoga Race Course in the Jim Dandy Stakes. Warrior's Reward finished a non threatening third in the Dwyer on Saturday at Belmont.
My co-workers and I were hoping that co-owners Mark Allen and Leonard Blach and trainer Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr. would look to Ramon Dominguez to ride Mine That Bird but maybe there's hope that he'll get on the three-year-old male division leader later in the year. And when is Rafael Bejarano going to get his first superstar/career defining horse? Yeah, he's had some big wins on Ginger Punch, Precious Kitten, and Intercontinental (all for trainer Bobby Frankel), but still nothing that has put him in mainstream consciousness.
RE: Hollywood Park
The late pick four on Sunday at Hollywood Park encompassing the American Oaks and Triple Bend Handicap (both Grade 1s) as well as an entry level allowance race and a maiden claiming affair to close things off, is among the toughest pick four sequences I've ever handicapped, which means the degenerate in me can't resist taking a shot at what I expect will be no less than a four-figure payoff. More on that as the sequence approaches (7:30 p.m. EDT).
UPDATE: Billy and I went in on a monster pick four ticket. It might be the largest pick four ticket I've ever played (solo or in partnership), but this is a sequence that has a lot of opportunity if you can negotiate the land mines.
Race 8, leg 1, American Oaks: My top pick is Apple Charlotte (GB), and Billy's is Puttanesca (NZ). We also added Gozzip Girl, Acting Lady, Afternoon Stroll, and Mrs. Kipling. This is the leg I feel most comfortable about.
Race 9, leg 2, N1X alw: Billy gave me 8 on top of 3, 9 and I liked 3, 8, 9, 10 as my "A" selections, so I played 3, 8, 9, 10 in this leg. I had 1, 2, 4, 7 down as my "C" selections, but you can't play them all and since Billy and I had agreement I didn't worry about going any deeper.
Race 10, leg 3, Triple Bend: Billy likes Rebellion, who I like as well, but I think Zensational can steal this one. My picks were 9-5 and Billy gave me 5 on top of 1, 6, 9 so I just played out top picks (5 & 9) in here.
Race 11, leg 4, Mdn$25k: This is the widow maker for sure. We're seven deep in here, and even that took some cutting at the very end. I figured I can always hedge with the late pick three, late double, or even a win bet in the last. Billy had 5 over 2, 11, 13. I could have used nine different horses in here but cut two, so if we make it this far we'd have 1, 2, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13.
2 soothsayers: