Monday, May 13, 2013

Vegas Disappointment; Upcoming Racing

I watch little television - mostly news, the game show Jeopardy!, four shows on CBS and one on the History Channel.  I detest all of the "reality" TV shows, and have limited myself to less than three minutes of viewing such "shows."  The CBS shows I usually watch are: NCIS, Vegas, Person of Interest and Blue Bloods; along with Vikings on the History Channel.  The news was released this past Friday that Vegas has been cancelled.  That is a terrible shame.  Vegas is an interesting show, set in the early 1960s, and using vintage sets,clothes, cars, and music.  It's the story of Sheriff Ralph Lamb (played by Dennis Quaid) and a mobster, previously from Chicago, Vincent "Vinnie" Savino (played by Michael Chiklis).  The episodes are based on what actually happened in Las Vegas while Sheriff Lamb, who has been on set as a technical consultant, was in office.  These are stories of love and money, in-fighting, scams, murder and  the conflict between two men who both believe that their own way is the best.  Michael Chiklis and Dennis Quaid were the co-producers of this show, and wanted authenticity.  It showed.  It was a fantastic television series - with music, action, and a lot of unforeseen twists.  Too bad  that CBS was stupid enough to kill this show and keep several of those faked "reality" shows on.  At least four of the five shows I like were renewed....
  We're coming up on a great weekend of horse racing here in the US.  Friday at Old Hilltop (Pimlico Racetrack, outside of Baltimore, Maryland), the second part of the Triple Tiara and Triple Crown series will begin.  Friday's racing includes the Jim McKay Turf Sprint, covering 5 furlongs; the Black Eyed Susan Stakes, second part of the fillies' Triple Tiara; and the Pimlico Special, which is run at the same distance as the Preakness Stakes - 1 and 3/16 mile.  The Pimlico Special began as a match race with Seabiscuit facing his uncle, War Admiral, the Triple Crown Champion.  Saturday, colts will be competing in the second leg of the Triple Crown, and most eyes will be locked on that race.  I will also be interested in the outcomes of  two jumping races  - the Radnor National Hunt Cup Hurdle Stakes and the Radnor Hunt Cup over Timber.  The Hurdle covers 2 and 3/8 miles, while the Timber race is run over 3 and 1/4 miles.
  Oh, and the young man who is charged with the theater shootings in Aurora, which killed 12 people and wounded 58 others, is getting ready to plead "Not Guilty by reason of Insanity."  Insanity in the state of Colorado is defined as being unable to know right from wrong.  From what the media has released about this man's plans, he clearly knew that what he planned to do was wrong.

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