Saturday, May 16, 2009

Cherchez la femme


Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra (pictured) is saving the Preakness, which will be going off later this afternoon from near-total irrelevance. Jockey, Calvin Borel has forsook Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird to ride the filly which has been installed as the morning line favorite against the other 12 colts. The decision to enter Rachel Alexandra has not been without controversy though as the decision to race her was made only last week and which was driven in large part by a change in ownership. This, against the backdrop of last year when filly Eight Belles finished second in the Kentucky Derby only to break both her ankles while galloping out and being euthanized there on the track.

Handicapping tips can be found here courtesy East Coast Bias. We will refrain from handing out any of our own this time around after the disaster that was the Kentucky Derby. True, when a 50-1 shot comes in first, very few people are making any money but we’ll get back into the swing of things at the Belmont.

Oh… big changes at Pimlico Race Course this year. Fans will no longer be allowed to carry personal effects onto the infield (read: coolers full of booze). As this video taken the Preakness two years ago will demonstrate….. why?



We may check in later (with or without scheduled post(s)) but a good part of the day will be spent at the Tea Party at Spanish Landing in protest of the ballot props that we will have the pleasure of shooting down this Tuesday.

Hey, Arnie: feel free to unload San Quentin but keep your hands off the Del Mar racetrack.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very casual observer of the Triple Crown here. I don't recall ever hearing of the KD's jockey bouncing/being bounced for another horse for the Preakness. It seems a betrayal, like John and Paul splitting up right in their prime after releasing (Abbey Road??) Maybe mutual amongst themselves, but a betrayal to the masses nonetheless.

- Let It Be Mongo

Anonymous said...

Going to Tom's Farms this afternoon, Let me know if you care to change your protest site!
'Dawg

Dean said...

Mongo,
It is indeed a rare sight. However, Mine That Bird, was thought to be a one-time fluke, an assessment with which I happen to agree.

The switch, and the switch to a rare filly saves what would be an otherwise forgettable race.

'Dawg, let me call you in a little while... need to get my act together.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. A "fluke", eh?

- Mongo and the 1988 L.A. Dodgers Wondering if Gary Larson's Upside Down "Imbecils of America" Banner from "The Far Side" Will Be Present at Protest...

K T Cat said...

Re: the urinal running video. Somewhere out there is a girl saying to her friends, "There he is! That's my beau!"

K T Cat said...

A link is forthcoming, around 5PM tonight. I think you'll like it.

:-)

Dean said...

KT, thanks!

Hey, and even more unsettling than that, I've seen footage that would suggest that somewhere in the crowd, there's a dude saying, "Yep, that's my little filly."