Win Place Show

Win Place Show 

I had the privilege of being interviewed on the Win Place Show on KJR. At the risk of embarrassing myself, I post this because you will get an idea of how I feel about the industry and where we can go.

Caution: I talk.....a lot. 

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media/podcast-win-place-show-ondemand-win_place_show/the-win-place-show-524-26073453/

Preakness Rankings #8 to #1

Wife is gone for the weekend (It is beginning to become a theme now that I think about it) and she left me this in the freezer: 

I am newly married and nobody would argue that I have Master's Degree in communication with women, so I ask: (1) Is this a hint? Is this a passive-aggressive way of telling me the treadmill misses me? or (2) should I just shut up and be thankful she goes grocery shopping?

This ranking is a real snoozer so no need for seat belts.

By the way, Pharaoh "auto corrects" to the real spelling and I am not going to fight it. 

(8) Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati - Verve) - You have a lot of verve (get it?) showing up in this race. Like the sire, damsire and the owner, but not this horse, in this race. Should be in a N1X.  Next. 

(7) Mr. Z (Malibu Moon - Stormy Bear) - You ran in the Derby? When? I didn't catch it. You weren't suppose to be here except D. Wayne convinced Calumet to buy you so he can run something in here. Pass. However, I will say that this is a wild card with respect to the pace in the race. They could try to send Mr. Z to the front. He won't last long, but it could still impact the pace scenario that I describe below.  

(6) Bodhisattva  (Student Council - Dr. Cheryl P.) - In Buddhism it means Bodhisattva. You entered a Baltimore neighborhood with the equivalent of Omar Little (American Pharaoh), Avon Barksdale (Dortmund) and Marlowe Stanfield (Firing Line) fighting for the corners? Not likely to win that battle. "I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase. It is all in the game, right?" 

(5) Divining Rod  (Tapit - Precious Kitten) - Everyone's "wise guy" horse. I think people are stretching to find something outside the Derby field that they can bet on. I just don't think this horse can beat any of the top 4--let alone all of them to claim victory. Nice Lexington victory but it wasn't against anything like the horses in the Derby. He just hasn't beaten any horse of note. 

(4) Firing Line (Line of David - Sister Girl Blues) - A little surprised with how well he ran in the Derby, so I will diss him again and put him further up the list then he probably should be. Although it appears that the 8 post is advantageous for Gary Stevens and Firing Line in this race, I actually don't think it will help him that much. Yes, he will be able to break and look to his left to see what Dortmund and Pharaoh are going to do out of the gate, but it seems to me the tactics have been pretty much established by the post position draw and he will be sitting in second or third but on the outside of Pharaoh this time--losing the ground that Pharaoh lost in the Kentucky Derby. 

Derby Fact: Firing Line traveled 29 feet less than American Pharaoh. 8.5 feet in the equivalent of one length...math.....so a little under 3.5 lengths. This time Firing Line will be traveling about 29 feet more than Pharaoh. 

(3) Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon - Leaveminthedust) - My longshot pick in the Derby and he didn't embarrass me (certainly not as much as Upstart did). He continues to improve and will be able to sit back and pick up some of the pieces in the final two furlongs. I believe that he will pass Firing Line in the final sixteenth of a mile to get third place. This horse will pop up and win a Grade 1 race at some point, but not here, not now. 

Derby Fact: Danzig Moon traveled 43 feet less than American Pharaoh in Derby, the equivalent of roughly 5 lengths. The tables are turned this time and I imagine he will be losing ground versus Pharaoh. 

(2) Dortmund (Big Brown - Our Josephina) - Martin Garcia will take some different tactics with Dortmund in this race versus the Derby. I believe that Dortmund runs much better with a target to run at. Breaking on the outside of Pharaoh will allow him to sit right outside of him, while keeping Firing Line behind him or on the outside of him--forcing Stevens to lose more ground. I think these tactics will improve Dortmund's Kentucky Derby position by one spot, but it will not be sufficient to win the race. 

Derby Fact: Dortmund traveled 69 feet less than American Pharaoh, which is roughly 8 lengths. Dortmund will not have that 8 length advantage this time. 

(1) American Pharaoh (Pioneerof the Nile - Littleprincessemma)  - Picked him the derby and going to stick with him here. Call me crazy, but I actually think that the 1 post will help him. As stated above, I believe the tactics in this race for Dortmund will be different. Espinoza has the best horse in the race and will use his speed right from the gate--he is forced to with his post. He can't take back and risk being shuffled to 5th. This race will be similar to the one Pharaoh had in the Rebel and the Frontrunner. Will run them right off their feet for victory. 

Derby Fact: This horse is very very good. 

Always Love Your Animals, 

Will 

Guest Blogger - Week #4 Review and Broodmare Horse B With You

In honor of Kikisoblu's win in the Hastings Handicap and her Washington-Bred dam, Horse B With You, we have a guest blogger this week who made a long distance call to request to write this post. I didn't mind the time off from blogging, but am not responsible for the content of the post below:

Believe not that Washington-Breds won 13 of 25 races last weekend? That is why you fail.

Powerful you have become Washington-Breds, 91 out of 154 starters you had last weekend.

No two-year-old races yet? Patience you must have my young padawan.

When you look at the dark side, careful you must be. For the dark side looks back. (Blog Owner Note: Now he is just going off on tangents.) 

Kikisoblu you say? By Kodiak Kowboy out of the Slewdledo mare Horse B With You. Horse B With You graded stakes placed and used force to win Scottsdale Handicap at Turf Paradise, far from Dagobah system.

Purchased by Cappelletti, Bob for Todaro, George, I say. Cappelletti said "buy or do not buy. There is no try." Good purchase, happens to every guy sometimes this does.

http://apps.keeneland.com/sales/Sep12/pdfs/2597.pdf

http://apps.keeneland.com/sales/jan10/pdfs/240.pdf

Kikisoblu ridden by Rocco Bowen. You say size? Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. (Blog Own Note: Gotta agree with him on this one).

Charts you ask for? Charts lead to fear. Fear leads to anger. Anger lead to hate. Hate leads to suffering. (Blog Owner Note: Dude, they are just charts).

5/8

Horse	W	Cond.	¼	½	5/6	5.5/6/6.5
The Search is Over	Y	M7.5K	22.58	46.38	58.30	1:04.57
Ancient Mystery		2.5K N2L 3+	22.87	45.96	1:10.43	1:17.04
Perfectly Legal		3.5K (c) 3 +	23.04	45.94	1:10.08	1:16.46
Cacau		7.5K N2L	22.46	45.02	57.03	1:03.58
Jen’s Jag	Y	7.5K N2L	22.40	45.50	57.75	1:04.19
Parkers Bluff	Y	25K  3 +	22.83	45.83	1:10.24	1:16.79
Stormin Parker	Y	2.5K N1 3M 3 +	22.20	46.06	57.44	1:10.39

*Pick 5 Handle = $9,408 *123RacingHandle = $2,272

5/9

Horse	W	Cond.	¼	½	5/6	5.5/6/6.5/7	1 Mile
Montelena		2.5K(c) 3 +	24.33	48.89	1:13.29	1:26.08	1:38.93
Hollanita		10K 3+ F	23.33	46.54	58.67	1:11.16
Don’t Tell Abbey		M 5K 3+ F	22.29	45.85	58.88	1:05.76
Boss Lori	Y	M 15K F	22.66	45.86	58.23
Coach Royal		2.5K(C) 3+	23.72	47.54	1:12.65	1:25.36	1:38.09
Charismata		12.5K N2L 3 + F	22.66	45.52	57.80	1:10.83
Heza Witch Doctor	Y	5K 3+	22.45	44.84	1:09.36	1:16.00
Seeking the Light		32K F	22.24	45.26	57.49	1:03.88
Gimme a Tallboy		5K 3+	21.84	45.54	58.42

*Pick 5 Handle = $9,380 *123RacingHandle = $2,962

5/10

Horse	W	Cond.	¼	½	5/6	5.5/6/6.5/7	1 Mile
He’s Zuberrific	Y	7.5K N3L	21.83	44.84	57.32	1:10.38
Hollanita	Y	M 5K  3+ F	22.77	46.10	1:11.66	1:18.28
Our Silver Lining	Y	M 25K F	22.74	45.99	58.13	1:04.68
Ducoti	Y	3.5K(C) 3+ F	22.13	45.25	57.55
Say Say	Y	2.5K N1 3M 3+ F	22.09	45.55	58.00	1:04.74
Botch		40K 3+	22.12	44.41	56.68	1:09.68
Trackattacker	Y	Alw R	21.96	45.05	57.39	1:03.96
Kikisoblu		Stakes	22.17	44.92	56.69	1:08.69
Cowboy Gold	Y	15K M	22.08	44.95	57.27	1:04.01

*Pick 5 Handle = $14,610  123Racing Handle = $3,938

 I rest now. When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good, you will not, hmmmm?

Word, green guy. Word.

Always Love Your Animals,

Will