Flash Flood Watch

Since yesterday, Boulder has seen 1.85 inches of rain. The weather folks say we'll get 2 to 4 inches of rain tomorrow, plus more on Friday. We are under a Flash Flood Watch - all of Boulder County, and especially those of us who live near a creek or river. The higher country, such as Grandma Anne on Sugarloaf Mountain, Nederland, Leadville, and the Rocky Mountain NP are expecting 5 to 10 inches of snow within the next 24 hours. It is Spring, isn't it? And, if you feel like looking at snow, here's a great news report, filmed today: http://www.9news.com/news/local/article/199089/346/Crews-working-to-get-Independence-Pass-open-by-Memorial-Day?odyssey=modnewswellimgFRONTPAGEp
I arrived home a short while ago. Lovey and Nedi are having a ball getting completely soaked, then jumping on my lap, where they head for the desk, and then shake water and mud all over the PC monitor and keyboard. They both wanted tons of love when I arrived, even before they were fed; now it's play time out in the rain. They don't know that they are supposed to dislike being wet.... What can I say?... They are my kits! .... Colorado and the West is having a very nasty outbreak of Equine Herpes virus 1 - which is spread through the air. A rancher took 16 head of his stock to a roping event in Utah last weekend; a 16-year-old mare is dead and three others are in critical condition due to the virus. The guy is really upset, because he turned the stock out with his other 40 head of roping and cattle horses, not realizing they were (a) ill and (b) extremely contagious. His entire ranch is under quarantine. This type of equine herpes virus is virulent, and it also will attach itself to llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and other camelids, besides all equines. It's awful.
The post positions are set for Saturday's running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Animal Kingdom, who won the Derby, is the morning-line betting favorite at 2 to 1; he is starting from post 11. Here are the race conditions and the colts:
$1 Million Preakness Stakes (gr. I), 3-Year-Olds, 1 3/16 Miles
PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Astrology, Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen, 15/1
2. Norman Asbjornson, Julian Pimentel, Chris Grove, 30/1
3. King Congie, Robby Albarado, Tom Albertrani, 20/1
4. Flashpoint, Cornelio Velasquez, Wesley Ward, 20/1
5. Shackleford, Jesus Castanon, Dale Romans, 12/1
6. Sway Away, Garrett Gomez, Jeff Bonde, 15/1
7. Midnight Interlude, Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 15/1
8. Dance City, Ramon Dominguez, Todd Pletcher, 12/1
9. Mucho Macho Man, Rajiv Maragh, Kathy Ritvo, 6/1
10. Dialed In, Julien Leparoux, Nick Zito, 9/2
11. Animal Kingdom, John Velazquez, Graham Motion, 2/1
12. Isn't He Perfect, Edgar Prado, Doodnauth Shivmangal, 30/1
13. Concealed Identity, Sheldon Russell, Dean Gaudet, 30/1
14. Mr. Commons, Victor Espinoza, John Shirreffs, 20/1

I'll post more information about both the fillies and colts running Friday and Saturday tomorrow.