In yesterday's Epsom Derby, the favorite, Australia won over the mile-and-a-half course; Tonalist won the Belmont, and the betting favorite California Chrome finished in a dead heat (with Wicked Strong) for fourth place. I was interested by Ride On Curlin, who had finished second in the Derby, but finished last in the Belmont, some 87 lengths behind the winner. Ride On Curlin bled during the race, and was eased in the stretch. And it seems that California Chrome "grabbed" his right fore coming out of the starting gate. Grabbed means that his hind foot over-stepped his front foot, and the sharp edged racing shoe cut into the heel of his front hoof. But, according to Victor Espinoza, Chrome's jockey, he (the horse) just wasn't his usual self when they broke from the gate - and he had nothing left for the last 5/8 of the race... That's one of the main reasons that Triple Crown champions are so difficult to breed.
Anyway, I just decided to put up some photos, and shut my mouth:
Asian Trangopan
St. Magdalena, Italy under the Dolomites
Evelyn, my grand-niece at the Butterfly Pavilion
Lenticular clouds over the Sandwich Islands
Black squirrel
200 year old Swedish hutch
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