Busy, Busy; Horse Racing

Twenty-three days away from the Kentucky Derby; no wonder I'm writing more and more about horses and ponies. It's 23 degrees outside, also; bright and sunny currently, and the raven and crow families have been very noisy this morning. Almonds were on sale at Sprouts, so I splurged and got a couple of pounds for the squirrels - and they seem to be happy with them. Lovey and Nedi are both out on the patio, soaking up the sun; and I'm certain that Maggie May will want out when I return to her. I haven't heard anything from the Rs, so I'll guess that Remy does not have an acupuncture appointment this morning, and I'll show up at 9:30 for the morning walk. And, starting tomorrow, I'm supposed to be caring for the three Snow family dogs - Kathy and Jim's Boo, Mike and Erin's Mona, and Sarah and Michael's Woodsley - at Kathy and Jim's house. The family is scheduled to take a three day camping trip in Moab, Utah. Maggie May's people will return Saturday evening, and I'll be staying with the doggies at the Snow house until late Sunday. Next is a short break, then five days of Sasquatch and Tugger, another break, and four days of the Stone lab girls....

   Jockey Joel Rosario will be riding Orb in the Kentucky Derby. Veteran jockey John Velasquez broke a rib and chipped a bone in his wrist in a fall at Aqueduct last week; he's planning to return to riding during Derby Week. ... War Academy is the current favorite for this weekend's Arkansas Derby at Hot Springs. .... And, a disturbing report: Cardiac failure, or heart attacks, in horses on the track in California have taken a sudden rise. There were 4 deaths in 2009, 6 deaths in 2011, and 11 deaths last year, 2012. The eyebrow-raising factor is that 7 of the 11 horses who died last year were all in one stable - that of trainer Bob Baffert. Yes, he has the largest training stable in California. But, as another trainer said, he had been training and running horses for 25 years and hasn't had a single death; it seems peculiar that Bob Baffert had 7 deaths on the track due to heart failure in a 12 month period. Hmmmm... now that is something to ponder.