Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Betting Odds

The 151st running of the Belmont Stakes will take place just before 7 pm (EDT) on Saturday, 8 June.  The first Belmont Stakes was run in 1867 at the old Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx.  This year, the race will be run over the traditional distance of 1 and 1/2 miles (12 furlongs) at Belmont Park, the track who's nicknames include "the Big Sandy" and "the Graveyard of Champions."  Ten horses will compete on Saturday in the third leg of the Triple Crown for a guaranteed purse of  $1,500,000.  Each of the 3-year-old colts will carry 126 pounds.  We'll see if any contestants can equal the course record set by Secretariat in 1973, when he won the race by 31 lengths in a world record time of 2:24.
   There are ten entries this year - nine bred in Kentucky, and Master Fencer in Japan.  There are five bays or browns, three chestnuts, and two greys or roans. Tax is a gelding and the rest are colts.  Seven of the ten ran in either the Kentucky Derby and/or the Preakness Stakes.  Intrepid Heart is making only his fourth start in a horse race. Three of the ten starters are sons of Tapit: Bourbon War, Intrepid Heart, and Tacitus.

   A little bit about each horse and his connections follows.  The number is his gate position drawn for the Belmont Stakes....
   1.   Joevia  -  a dark bay or brown colt; sired by Shanghai Bobby, out of the War Front mare Peace Process.  Trained by Gregg Sacco, ridden by Jose Lezcano.   Winner of the Long Branch Stakes.  Morning line odds: 30 to 1

   2.   Everfast  - a bay colt;  sired by Take Charge Indy, out of the Awesome Again mare Awesome Surprise.  Trained by Dale Romans, ridden by Luis Saez.  Second in the Preakness Stakes.  Morning line odds: 12 to 1

   3.   Master Fencer (JPN) - a chestnut colt; sired by Just a Way (JPN), out of the Deputy Minister mare Sexy Zamurai.  Trained by Koichi Tsunoda, ridden by Julien Laparoux.  7th in the Kentucky Derby.  Morning line odds: 8 to 1

   4.   Tax - a dark bay or brown gelding; sired by Arch, out of the Giant's Causeway mare Toll. Trained by Danny Gargan, ridden by Irad Ortiza Jr.   14th in the Kentucky Derby.  Morning line odds: 15 to 1

   5.   Bourbon War - a bay colt; sired by Tapit, out of the Artie Schiller mare My Conquestadory. Trained by Mark Hennig, ridden by Mike Smith.  8th in the Preakness Stakes.  Morning line odds: 12 to 1

   6.   Spinoff  - a chestnut colt; sired by Hard Spun, out of the Gone West mare Zaftig.  Trained by Todd Pletcher, ridden by Javier Catellano. Second in the Louisiana Derby; 18th in the Kentucky Derby.  Morning line odds: 15 to 1

   7.   Sir Winston - a chestnut colt; sired by Awesome Again, out of the Afleet Alex mare La Gran Balladora.  Trained by Mark Casse, ridden by Joel Rosario.  Second in the Peter Pan Stakes.  Morning line odds: 12 to 1

   8.   Intrepid Heart - a grey or roan colt; sired by Tapit, out of the Touch Gold mare Flaming Heart.  Trained by Todd Pletcher, ridden by John Velazquez.  Third in Peter Pan Stakes; the Belmont will be his fourth start.  Morning line odds: 10 to 1

   9.   War of Will - a bay colt; sired by War Front, out of the Sadler's Wells mare Visions of Clarity (IRE).  Trained by Mark Casse, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.  Winner of the Preakness Stakes; horse and jockey caused all of the problems in the Kentucky Derby, causing the disqualification of Maximum Security, and a 15 day suspension for his jockey.  Morning line odds: 2 to 1

  10.   Tacitus - a grey or roan colt; sired by Tapit, out of the First Defence mare Close Hatches.  Trained by Bill Mott, ridden by Jose Ortiz.  Third in the Kentucky Derby.  Morning line odds: 9 to 5

Tacitus the morning line betting favorite for the Belmont Stakes

Foal Number 50 Has Arrived - And Other Things

Poco's Starry Night had a beautiful black foal with a star last night, or early this morning...  The sire is Riptide, and the mare and foal were spotted early this morning by Darcy and Steve Cole.  This is the 50th foal born to the Chincoteague Pony herd this year.  -  On May 30th, Kachina and Hoppy had a gorgeous buckskin with a star...  Photos of both are below:

 Foal # 49 -  Kachina Grand Star and Hoppy

Foal # 50 -  Poco's Starry Night and Riptide

And the Pony Committee and veterinarians decided that it was time to release Smooch and her palomino pinto filly (who was born at the Carnival Grounds) back onto Assateague.  Instead of releasing Smooch in the north, where Legacy, the sire of her current foal resides, Smooch and the filly were released in the southern compound.  She is foal number 39...

In thoroughbred horse racing news, the owners of Maximum Security have asked that a judge review all the evidence in the case regarding the disqualification of their horse from first place to 17th in the running of the Kentucky Derby, and have him/her make the decision instead of going before a jury and having a trial.  -  And, after all the fall-out and discussions regarding the disqualification by the stewards of Maximum Security, there have been quite a few calls for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to change their rules regarding the stewards' decisions and making appeals.

   Also, On Saturday, 8 June, the third leg of the Triple Crown, The Belmont Stakes, will be run at Belmont in Elmont Park in New York.  At the moment, a field of ten horses is anticipated, with seven of the ten having run in either the Kentucky Derby and/or the Preakness.  Currently, the ten entries are expected to be: Tacitus, War of Will, Bourbon War, Master Fencer, Sir Winston, Intrepid Heart, Everfast, Spinoff, Tax and Joevia.  The post position draw and morning-line betting odds announcements will take on Tuesday.  I'll report the outcome that afternoon/evening...

Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Odds

The draw for Saturday's 150th running of the Belmont Stakes has taken place.  Once again, the forecast is for afternoon and evening thunderstorms.   Will Justify become the 13th Triple Crown winner in 100 years?  We'll see....   There will be ten entries in the gate, unless there is a scratch due to illness.  Besides Justify, only one other contender has been both the Derby and the Preakness, that being D. Wayne Lukas trainee Bravazo, who finished second in the Preakness.   Tenfold also ran in the Preakness, three weeks ago.  Four other entries ran in the Derby, and this is their first return to the races since then: Free Drop Billy, Hofburg, Vino Rosso, and Noble Indy.  Plus three new colts, Restoring Hope, Gronkowski, and Blended Citizen.  All ten colts were bred in Kentucky.
  Here are post positions drawn, sire, and morning line betting odds:
1.     Justify        Scat Daddy     4 to 5
2.     Free Drop Billy     Union Rags     30 to 1
3.     Bravazo     Awesome Again     8 to 1
4.     Hofburg     Tapit     9 to 2
5.     Restoring Hope     Giant's Causeway     30 to 1
6.     Gronkowski     Lonhro    12 to 1
7.     Tenfold     Curlin     12 to 1
8.     Vino Rosso     Curlin     8 to 1
9.     Noble Indy     Take Charge Indy     30 to 1
10.   Blended Citizen     Proud Citizen     15 to 1

Yesterday I wrote there were 23 horses who had won both the Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont Stakes.  Here is a listing, giving the year and the name of the colt:
1932    Burgoo King
1936    Bold Venture
1944    Pensive
1958    Tim Tam
1961    Carry Back
1964    Northern Dancer
1966    Kauai King
1968    Forward Pass
1969    Majestic Prince
1971    Canonero II
1979    Spectacular Bid
1981    Pleasant Colony
1987    Alysheba
1989    Sunday Silence
1997    Silver Charm
1998    Real Quiet
1999    Charismatic
2002    War Emblem
2003    Funny Cide
2004    Smarty Jones
2008    Big Brown
2012    I'll Have Another
2014    California Chrome

Will We See a New Triple Crown Winner On Saturday?

Saturday, 9 June, will see the 100th set of races for the title of the American Triple Crown in thoroughbred horse racing.  This day will see the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes; due to World Wars, economic downturns, and the races beginning their runs in different years, this will be the one-hundredth attempt in 2018. 
   Earlier, some owners and trainers felt that their 3-year-olds were not developed enough to compete in a race covering one and a quarter miles the first Saturday in May.  - Remember that a thoroughbred horse is not fully matured until it reaches the real calendar age of 8 years. -  So that, up until the late 1930s, a lot of owners and trainers would not compete in the Kentucky Derby.  Samuel D. Riddle, the owner of Man o'War, would not allow Big Red to run in the Derby in 1920, feeling it was too early; but the colt did go on to win the Preakness and Belmont... 
   In any event, in the 99 contested runnings for the Triple Crown so far there have only been 12 three-year-old colts who could win all three races.  Justify is hoping to be the thirteenth on 9 June. Twenty-three other colts have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown and have either not raced in the Belmont, or have been defeated in the Belmont.
   In this day and age, thoroughbred race horses are not raced that frequently.  There is usually a break of 4 to 6 weeks between races, and some horses are trained for only specific races with specific racing conditions at specific race tracks.  The Triple Crown is a grueling series for young horses.  They race three times at three different tracks, at three different distances, in a period of 5 weeks.  The first race is the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs outside of Louisville, Kentucky and the distance is 1 and 1/4 miles; the second race is just 2 weeks later, at Pimlico Race Track outside of Baltimore, Maryland covering a shorter distance of 1 and 3/16 miles; then, 3 weeks later, the colts race again at Belmont Park,  outside of Elmont, New York, covering a distance of 1 and 1/2 miles on the track known as "Big Sandy."
   Most of these colts will never race again at the distance of 1 and 1/2 miles.  American horses just don't do that.  It is usually a once-in-a-lifetime race distance - especially on our American dirt tracks.  Turf races are another matter - both here in the United States and almost everywhere else in the world.
   Here are a few other things to keep in mind about the Triple Crown races:
*  Secretariat's times for all three races in 1973 are still the fastest times for all three races.
*  Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox is the only winner to sire a Triple Crown winner, Omaha.
*  Alydar is the only horse in history to finish second in all three races, behind Affirmed  in 1978.
*  Eddie Arcaro is the only jockey to have ridden in, and won, two sets of Triple Crown races - on Whirlaway in 1941, and on Citation in 1948.
*  Steve Cauthen is the youngest jockey to win the Triple Crown, at age 18, in 1978.
*  Victor Espinoza is the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown, at age 43,  in 2015.   (If Justify wins on Saturday, with Mike Smith in the irons, then Mike will have the oldest jockey title, at age 52.)
    The previous winners of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing:
1919   -   Sir Barton
1930   -   Gallant Fox
1935   -   Omaha
1937   -   War Admiral
1941   -   Whirlaway
1943   -   Count Fleet
1946   -   Assault
1948   -   Citation
1973   -   Secretariat
1977   -   Seattle Slew
1978   -   Affirmed
2015   -   American Pharoah

Miscellany

I have to admit that I was happy to hear that the ABC/Disney television show "Roseann" was cancelled.  I was horrified by the tweet that the star of the show, Roseann Barr, had sent out, stating that an aide to previous President Obama looked like the result of a mating between a Muslim and a creature from The Planet of the Apes.  After having the show immediately cancelled, Barr tried to explain the tweet, saying she sent it at 2 a.m. on a long holiday weekend, and she was also taking Ambien.  Ambien is a prescribed medication that helps a person sleep, and it does have a few side-effects.  However, as the manufacturer of Ambien stated, none of the possible side-effects are racism or bigotry.  Those things are inside the person already.  Period.  Full stop.
   It looks as if, at the moment, there will be eleven colts racing in the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, on Saturday, 9 June.  So far, the trainers of the following colts have said they plan on running in the 1 and a half mile race:  Justify, who has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness; Bravazo, the only other colt who has run in both previous races; Bandua; Blended Citizen; Free Drop Billy; Gronkowski; Hofburg; Noble Indy; Restoring Hope; Tenfold; and Vino Rosso.  I won't comment on odds or my likes until the day of the post position draw, as the entries might change significantly between now and then.
   I also have to say that I laughed out loud when I saw that the polyester-haired cheeto in the Oval Office now claims that he never said that he fired FBI Director James Comey over "the Russia thing."  Talk about sheer idiocy!  Anyone can watch his interview with Lester Holt on NBC and watch him say that "the Russia thing" was the reason he fired Comey....  Of course, I wouldn't put it past him, or his paid lawyers, to claim that the man we see on tape wasn't the President - it was a stand-in, who went off script...
  There have now been 44 foals born this year to the herd of wild ponies on Assateague Island, that belong to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.  We, unfortunately, have lost two, even though the second one was under the care of a veterinarian.  But there are currently 42 babies bouncing and bucking around the southern end of Assateague.  One foal has been born in Maryland so far, and it looks as if there are three or four other mares expecting babies on the north end.  There were two pony deaths confirmed on the Maryland side; Dr. Jay (N9BFT-K) and Madeline Rose (N2BM) after their annual pony census.
   When I was a kid, I thought I'd spend my retirement years in a cottage on Chincoteague Island, surrounded by friends and a huge group of children and grandchildren.  Looking at my 62nd birthday, it seems odd.  I live in an apartment, with a view of the Rocky Mountains.  I am a widow, with no children or grandchildren of my own.  I live with a friend and two cats.  I correspond, by e-mail, with friends spread across the country.  I miss the sound of the surf, the flashes of the light house at night, the distinct smell of marsh mud, the cries of the sea birds, the smell of the salt water and salt mist and salt fog, and the sound of voices from the past....

Odds and Ends

On 2 September 2017 a 15-year-old boy threw an active firework into a drought-stricken area of a scenic part of the country.  I wrote "an active firework" because the boy had lit the fuse before throwing it.  The resulting fire burned for more than 3 months.  It destroyed more than 48,000 acres - or over 75 square miles; it destroyed people's homes; it trapped people hiking in scenic areas; it killed an unknown number of many kinds of wildlife.  The boy plead guilty to all the charges filed against him, and today a court ordered him to perform almost 2,000 hours of volunteer service, to write letters of apology to those trapped on hiking trails, and to those who lost their homes.  The judge also ordered the boy to pay the different people and organizations involved a total of $36,618,330.00 - and also acknowledged there was no way the young man can repay that amount in his life-time (unless he wins a big lottery jackpot).  I believe justice has been served, but the boy's attorney is fuming.  - I shrug my shoulders and say, "Too bad."  Wildfires hurt every living thing on this planet.  I like this judge!

   The orange circus peanut with cotton-candy hair in the Oval Office said today that the scheduled June summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has a "substantial" chance of "not working out."  Do you think?  I, personally, have serious doubts that it will take place.  I also have serious doubts that anything will be accomplished if it does take place.  It will just be a stupid game of one-upmanship.
   Did you know there's a sinkhole in the White House lawn?  It's by the wrought iron fence behind the media area...  It seems to be slowly growing.  Do you think it could be the way that China's leader is getting to 45 about helping out ZTE?  Did someone finally did their way from China?  (I am being facetious here...)
   And EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had representatives (reporters) from CNN and the AP barred from a public meeting this morning.  The spokesperson said that there was "no room" for anyone else - but other reporters allowed inside said there were multiple empty seats in their area.   So now Pruitt is trying to keep the press away from his "public" meetings about water contamination!  He is really living up to his nickname of Screw-It Pruitt!

  Quick takes:   The father of the boy who shot and killed and wounded people at Santa Fe High School  had said Friday and Saturday that his son was a quiet, but normal boy.  Today he says that his son was bullied into taking defensive measures...
    Two accused killers are on the loose after a "short circuit" unlocked prison doors in South Carolina.  Three men escaped after attacking a guard and using his own pepper spray one him.  One of the three men was recaptured 18 miles from the prison.  The other two are on the lam.
    A Baltimore County (Maryland) police officer was run over yesterday while responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle and a breaking and entering call. A neighbor saw a vehicle cruise slowly through his neighborhood and then saw three young men exit a black Jeep Wrangler and break into a friend's home.  A female officer was sent in response.  As she approached the Jeep, she told the driver to exit the car.  Instead, he ran her over and left her dead in the street.  The 16-year-old boy and his three break-in friends have been arrested.  They all have juvenile records, and the young man accused of killing the officer has stolen 4 vehicles since the beginning of the year.

 I can't understand how anyone can publish entries and betting-odds for the Belmont Stakes when the race is 19 days away, the entries have not been confirmed, and we have no idea of the weather and possible track conditions.... 

The Belmont Stakes and Other Items

We knew there would be no Triple Crown Champion when Cloud Computing won the Preakness Stakes.  I was surprised that neither he, nor the Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, were in the Belmont.  The only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year was Lookin At Lee - who finished second in the Derby and fourth in the Preakness.
   Twelve were entered in the 149th Belmont; Epicharis could not pass the veterinarian exam in the morning, and was scratched, so eleven horses went to the starting gate.  The race is/was 1 1/2 miles on the main dirt track; the purse was $1.5 million, with $800,000 going to the winner.   Meantime led the way out of the starting gate and at the first turn, Hollywood Handsome was caught charging up into traffic, clipped heels, and almost lost his rider.  Irish War Cry took over the lead in the back stretch, and looked to be the winner, but Tapwrit came charging up, stayed stride for stride, then passed the chestnut, and won by two lengths in 2 minutes 30.02 seconds. Patch was third; Gormley fourth.  Lookin At Lee finished seventh. Hollywood Handsome walked off the track, but had surgical staples applied to a laceration behind his left knee.
   If you made a $2 bet to win on Tapwrit, you received $12.60; a $2 place on Irish War Cry paid $4.70; and a $2 show bet paid $6.50 for Patch.  A $2 perfecta bet paid $45.20; a $2 trifecta paid $624.00; and a $2 superfecta paid $4,486.00.
    Tapwrit won by two lengths over Irish War Cry, who was 5 3/4 lengths in front of Patch, who was 4 1/4 lengths in front of Gormley.  This is the full order of finish:   1 - Tapwrit; 2 - Irish War Cry; 3 - Patch; 4 - Gormley; 5 - Senior Investment; 6 - Twisted Tom; 7 - Lookin At Lee; 8 - Meantime; 9 - J Boys Echo; 10 - Multiplier.  Hollywood Handsome did not finish; Epicharis did not start.

  I apologize for having gotten so lax in keeping this blog up to date.  I find myself fascinated by the monkeyshines occurring in the 45th administration, and I keep spending more time in front of the television, instead of the keyboard and monitor.  My television is in another room, just so I cannot stare at it and try to type and research...  Thursday I watched the testimony of James Comey in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee; Friday, I celebrated my birthday by driving over Trail Ridge Road, through Rocky Mountain National Park (where we saw elk, elk, more elk, moose, and a large variety of birds). Yesterday I tried to catch up on household things, and watch the Belmont.
  Today, I'm taking care of three houses full of pets, whose owners are on vacation...  I have pet duties through the 29th of June, followed by a few days off (if nothing comes up).
  And, of course, I'm also trying to keep up with all the new foals on Assateague Island - the ones belonging to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.  As of last night, there had been 54 births (and 2 deaths)... including a palomino pinto baby born on my birthday to Marsh Mallow.

Belmont Stakes On Saturday - Death of Holy Bull

Jonabell Farm announced this afternoon that stallion Holy Bull, at 26, was euthanized today due to the infirmities of old age.  Holy Bull will be buried on Jonabell Farm.

   Saturday, 10 June, will see the running of the third leg of the Triple Crown races.  Neither of the winners of the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes will be running in the 1 and 1/2 mile race at Belmont Park.  Originally, it was thought the betting favorite would be Classic Empire, who was announced to be training for the race soon after the Preakness.  However, Classic Empire developed an abscess in the bulb of his off fore foot earlier this week, and was not officially entered.
   Eight of the twelve entries in the Belmont Stakes have run in either the Derby or the Preakness.  Here is a list of the entries, their morning-line odds, and their sires and grandsires:
1     Twisted Tom    20 to 1     Creative Cause     Giant's Causeway
2     Tapwrit              6 to 1      Tapit             Pulpit
3     Gormley            8 to 1      Malibu Moon        A. P. Indy
4     J Boys Echo     15 to 1     Mineshaft       A. P. Indy
5     Hollywood Handsome    30 to 1      Tapizar       Tapit
6     Lookin At Lee    5 to 1     Lookin At Lucky      Smart Strike
7     Irish War Cry     7 to 2      Curlin      Smart Strike
8     Senior Investment      12 to 1       Discreetly Mine     Mineshaft
9     Meantime          15 to 1     Shackleford      Forestry
10   Multiplier          15 to 1     The Factor        War Front
11   Epicharis             4 to 1     Gold Allure      Sunday Silence
12   Patch                 12 to 1     Union Rags      Dixie Union

Nine of the colts were bred in Kentucky, with Twisted Tom from New York, Irish War Cry from New Jersey, and Epicharis from Japan.  All are full males, except for gelded Twisted Tom.  Tapwrit is the only grey horse in the field, with four chestnuts and seven bays.
   Note that Epicharis was being treated for lameness on Thursday morning.

Bits and Pieces

We have flocks of birds visiting the feeders, and Bertrando, the squirrel, is sprawled flat across the top of the telephone pole, soaking up the sun.  The skies are blue, with a few high clouds, but the view of the Flatirons, less than 1.5 miles away, is already hazy.  I changed my hair color yesterday - it is now a deep burgundy, with purple highlights.  I'll keep it this color through the summer, and then go back to being a grey, almost totally white, haired old lady again.
   It looks like a very interesting field building up for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday - Patch, the one-eyed horse; Tapwrit, Lookin At Lee, Epicharis, Irish War Cry, Hollywood Handsome, J Boys Echo, Senior Investment, and, possibly, Gormley.  The post position draw will be held Wednesday.
    One of my client's said she'd be staying at home this summer - she told me that in mid-May.  I dropped her off at the airport the third week of May, and picked her up the last week of May; then she flew out on 1 June, and back yesterday.  I'll take her to the airport on Friday, and she says she thinks she'll be back around the 24th of June...  Of course, it isn't "really" summer until June 21 - but I always think of summer as June, July, and August...  I'll have to see what happens in later months.  The client's gentleman friend, who is also a client, left on 31 May and returns 7 June, only to leave again on 9 June, with his lady friend.  I know he has to be in California in late June - but don't know when he'll return from the 9 June trip.  Gotta say that this job is always interesting, and never the same any day!  The first client's daughter, who is currently living with her Mom, will be going to a wedding the last weekend of June - and I have been asked to care for the family house and critters for that weekend - but the Mom said she'd be back then - but that's the weekend the gentleman leaves for California - I'll just have to wait and see what happens....
    Beatrice, my roommate, is African-American.  Her maternal grandmother was a Louisiana Creole named Annie DeClouette.  I'm working on her family tree, since we've received her DNA results from 23andMe.  I've been able to trace her DeClouette line back the Governor of Bienvienido, Cuba in the 1700s.  Her paternal line I have been able to trace back to a slave named Priest Trickles, who was born in South Carolina in 1820.  We're heading down to the African-American History Library in Denver today to do more research...
    Foals are popping out all over the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island.  Although we have lost two of the babies, 51 have been born so far (as of yesterday evening, anyway).  The latest was a chestnut pinto sired by Hoppy, and out of Carol's Little Freedom.  Thetis and Wild Thing's bay pinto colt (born May 14) is as bold as brass - and bugles challenges to the tour boats full of tourists.  He certainly give pony lovers' their money's worth!  I also double-checked with the intrepid photography couple, Steve and Darcy Cole, who told me that my buy-back filly, Surfer Princess, has apparently settled into Tornado Legacy's herd.  Her previous best buddy, Badabing, is now content with Ajax.
    My heart goes out to the people of England - first the vehicular attack outside of Parliament, then the suicide bombing outside the concert in Manchester two weeks ago, and now the vehicular attack on London Bridge with three men then going on a stabbing rampage.  Most of my ancestors were from England, and I love that small strong country dearly.  London is one of my favorite cities to visit and explore.  As the old World War signs stated, "Keep calm and carry on," is the country's mantra - and it's perfect in these times of escalating terrorism.
    And, again, the current President of the United States is a complete and total asshole.

This and That...

The bunnies are multiplying!  I know that's what they do, but this morning I stepped out and counted 16 baby rabbits the size of my fist playing and eating on the lawn.  They are so very cute...
   I played the mean old lady this afternoon - the birds near our feeders sounded quite agitated and were darting around as if something was wrong.  I stepped onto the balcony and spied a girl, about 8 to 10 years old, wielding a butterfly net, and trying to catch the sparrows and finches.  I said, "Excuse me," and she stopped and looked up.  I said, "Stop chasing the birds with your net.  Catch butterflies or insects with it, but stop trying to catch birds."  She was still staring into my eyes, and after a few seconds, said, "What?"  I again said, "Stop chasing the birds with your net.  If you catch one, it will die, and you will have killed something wild."  She said, "But they keep putting food in the feeders so I can play with the birds...."  I asked, "Who are 'they'?"  She said, "Whoever feeds the birds."  So I told her that I had purchased the feeders; I bought the seeds, nuts and berries; I kept the feeders full, using my personal income; and I did not do it so the girl could terrorize the birds while they were eating and trying to feed their babies.  She told me she liked to do it. I told her to buy her own feeders and keep them filled, and then she could chase the birds at her feeders all she wanted.  She kept staring at me, and finally walked away very slowly......  So I've kept checking the feeders since then.
  Forty-seven new foals on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge at last count.
  And the winners of both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes will not compete in the Belmont Stakes on 10 June.  Other horses who raced in both races will return, along with a few newcomers.
   Finally:  I have been watching in disbelief as the new Presidency has been bringing wreckage and ruin to our nation.  The man occupying the President's office was not elected by a majority of Americans - he lost by more than 3 million votes in the popular election.  Then the Electoral College failed to do it's duty and sent this joke on to the Oval Office.  After making the United States of America a laughing stock throughout the world with blunder after blunder, after being a boorish bully with NATO, after the Pope called him fat, after the Saudis praised him - after a $110 billion arms deal - and then traveling to Israel and saying that he'd just returned from the Middle East, the orange idiot has declared that the United States is "withdrawing" from the Paris Accord on Climate Change.  This person does NOT represent me in any way, shape or form.  He, and all of his administration, including his dear family, need to be impeached, tried, and incarcerated.  He totally disgusts me.

Creator Wins Belmont Stakes

Creator, the son of Tapit and winner of the Arkansas Derby, won the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes yesterday by a nostril.  Nyquist, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, did not run, after becoming ill after the Preakness.  Exaggerator, who won the Preakness, looked good and trained well for the Belmont, and was the betting choice.  He certainly looked regal and cool.  Had  Exaggerator won yesterday's race, he would have been the first horse since Nashua - 58 years ago - who ran second in the Derby and then won the final two legs of the Triple Crown.  There were thirteen runners in the Belmont yesterday; Exaggerator finished eleventh.  The only other horse to run in all three legs of the TC races finished third.
  I laughingly noted there were five greys, one chestnut, and seven bay/browns running in the race.  Grey (or roan) horses finished in the first, second and third places, with the chestnut in fourth.  The other two greys finished in seventh and eighth places.  Sons of Tapit finished in first aand third places; sons of Giant's Causeway finished in second and sixth places; sons of Medaglia d'Oro finished in the fifth and thirteenth places.
   Kent Desormeoux, jockey of Exaggerator, said the colt had no excuses for his eleventh place finish; that he was just tired and it wasn't his day to win.  It looked to me as if Exaggerator wanted to blast to the front of the pack with Gettysburg, but that Kent held him back, and that Exaggerator didn't like it.  Then, when Kent asked the big bay to run, he just didn't have anything left.
   The full order of finish, with Creator defeating Destin by a nostril, follows:
1.    Creator
2.    Destin
3.    Lani
4.    Governor Malibu
5.    Stradivari
6.    Brody's Cause
7.    Cherry Wine
8.    Gettysburg
9.    Suddenbreakingnews
10.  Trojan Nation
11.  Exaggerator
12.  Seeking the Soul
13.  Forever d'Oro

The Belmont Stakes Has 13 Entries

The Belmont Stakes has lowered ticket prices for this Saturday's third leg of the Triple Crown races, due to the fact that Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is not running due to illness.  Since Exaggerator won the Preakness, folks were looking forward to the mile-and-a-half contest between the two winners.  Nyquist spiked a fever a couple of days after the Preakness, and has just begun returning to the training track.  But twelve other horses have decided to face Exaggerator on the track called Big Sandy, and the Graveyard of Champions. (Not that a lot of horses have died on the track, but wonderful winning horses have had their biggest defeats here - Secretariat and Man o'War, for example.)
   Of the colts running in the third race of the American Triple Crown series, only Exaggerator and Lani  will have competed in all three Classic races.  Exaggerator finished second in the Kentucky Derby, and won the Preakness; Lani ran ninth in the Derby and fifth at Pimlico.  Stradivari  (fourth) and Cherry Wine (second) are the colts to run in the Preakness and the Belmont, and not in the Derby.  Five other starters in the Kentucky Derby have decided to race in the Belmont, having skipped the Preakness:  Creator (thirteenth in the Derby), Suddenbreakingnews (fifth), Destin (sixth), Brody's Cause (seventh), and Trojan Nation (sixteenth).
   Of the 13 colts running, 5 are grey or roan, 1 is chestnut, and the rest (7) are bays and browns.  All of the colts were bred in Kentucky, except the chestnut Governor Malibu, who is New York bred.  Lani is still the single internationally raced colt, having raced in Japan and the UAE.  Several sires have two colts running - Giant's Causeway has Destin and Brody's Cause; Medaglio d'Oro has Stradivari and Forever d'Oro; and Tapit has Lani and Creator.   Several trainers have two horses entered, also:  Todd Pletcher has Destin and Stradivari; Dale Romans has Cherry Wine and Brody's Cause; Dallas Stewart has Seeking the Soul and Forever d'Oro; and Steve Asmussen has Creator and Gettysburg.
   Following are the post positions, the horse's name, their coat color, the name of their sire, and their opening betting odds:
1.    Governor Malibu  (ch)  Malibu Moon           12 to 1
2.    Destin  (grey/roan)   Giant's Causeway            6 to 1
3.    Cherry Wine  (grey/roan)   Paddy O'Prado      8 to 1
4.    Suddenbreakingnews  (bay)   Mineshaft        10 to 1
5.    Stradivari  (bay)   Medaglia d'Oro                   5 to 1
6.    Gettysburg (grey/roan)   Pioneer of the Nile  30 to 1
7.    Seeking the Soul (bay)  Perfect Soul (Ire)     30 to 1
8.    Forever d'Oro   (bay)  Madaglio d'Oro           30 to 1
9.    Trojan Nation    (bay)   Street Song (Ire)       30 to 1
10.  Lani  (grey/roan)    Tapit                                20 to 1
11.  Exaggerator   (bay) Curlin                               9 to 5
12.  Brody's Cause  (bay)   Giant's Causeway      20 to 1
13.  Creator  (grey/roan)    Tapit                           10 to 1

Lani is the only colt to have raced one 1/2 miles before - and he won that race impressively.  I'd like to see Exaggerator win.  With all the newcomers, and the horses who took a break since the Derby, I'm not sure who else I 'd bet on....  It'll come down to the horses' demeanor's Saturday afternoon....

A Sunday, Belmont Preview, & Foals

It's early Sunday night, and I was at the Denver International Airport at 6:40 this morning sending Donn back to California.  Lynn isn't feeling well, so when I returned to Boulder, I fed her critters, walked Tessa and watered her plants.  Then I checked in on the bunnies - Chocolate and Blackberry.  Next was feeding and medicating the ABCs - and walking Lola and Cooper.  Then I came home and snuggled with Lovey for 30 minutes.  Then off to walk Charlie - Rosie was cancelled for this afternoon, so Bea and I had a nice stroll with Tess again; then we visited the bunnies, and made a stop at Lucky's Market for our new favorite soap - A La Maison...
   Then I visited Shirley and Gary and got information on the boys - I'll be taking care of Nicodemus and Emmett later this month, and again in June.  Back over to the ABCs to feed and medicate and walk again.  I'm being lazy at the moment, and am awaiting a delivery from Pizza Hut for my supper.
   At the moment, it seems that there will be seven runners in the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes.  Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner, will once again face Exaggerator, the Preakness winner.Cherry Wine, who did not run in the Derby, but finished second in the Preakness, is also expected to run.  Lani, the son of Tapit, who ran in both the Derby and the Preakness will return.  And three colts who ran in the Derby, but skipped the Preakness, are also expected in the Belmont - Suddenbreakingnews, Brody's Cause and Destin.   Uncle Lino, who was vanned from the track after the finish of the Preakness, apparently suffered only some inflammation to his left fore, as he flew back to California today.
   On Assateague Island, both Carol's Girl and Jojo have foaled on the Maryland side of the island, leaving only Charmed to produce her baby.  On the Virginia side of Assateague, there are 36 new foals so far.  The first was Tunie's pinto colt, sired by Effie's Papa Bear (aka Hoppy); the latest reported was a chestnut colt out of JABATTA and sired by Wild Bill.  I have photos of 31 of the foals, thanks to DSC Photography and various friends.  I am missing photos of Sweet Jane (aka Duckie) and her new foal; of Gidget and Puzzle's red paint filly; of Seaside and Papa Bear's bay filly; of Jessica's Sandy and Neptune's buckskin foal; and the chestnut colt that JABATTA produced.  Riptide and Diamond's Jewel colt is growing into his markings.  The bay paint filly that Riptide and Grandma's Dream produced is an adventurous little lady, always wandering off from the herd.  Poco's Starry Night's first baby, a red paint (by Riptide) has some spectacular markings, and so does the bay paint filly from Black Star and Wild Bill.  There seem to be a greater number (so far) of black and white pintos than in recent years - Ace is beginning to make his mark...

Belmont Stakes, Epsom Derby

I am still running on an adrenaline high, so I can only imagine how the Zayat family, Bob Baffert and his stable, and Victor Espinoza's family feel.  What a fantastic 6 June!  A new Triple Crown winner after 37 years of trying...  I remember, after the many years of drought, when Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973 - the previous Triple Crown winner was in 1948, 8 years before I was born.  Then Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown, and then Affirmed defeated Alydar in all three race to win in 1978.  I remember people saying that the Triple Crown was "too easy" to win.  Before yesterday, people were saying the Triple Crown was too hard to win, and were talking about trying to change the races and the set-ups to make it easier to win all three races.  I think that is stupid.  These races have a good, long history (for America) and changing the races, the timing, the distances, would definitely take away the mystique and stamina that these twelve champions have shown - it would cheapen the Triple Crown title.
   The 236th Epsom Derby was run yesterday in England.  There were twelve colts entered in the race - they ran 1.5 miles, plus 30 feet, on a grass course.  Golden Hind won easily, at betting odds of 13 to 8.  He ran the course in 2 minutes 32 .32 seconds - and defeated stablemate Jack Hobbs.  Storm the Stars was third, and Giovanni Canaletto ran fourth.  Golden Hind was supplemented to the Derby, at an entrance fee of 75,000 pounds.  He has never lost a race, and jockey Frankie Dettori and he seemed to work extremely well together.  Maybe we'll see this combination in the two other English Triple Crown races....
   American Pharoah, a three year old bay colt, bred in Kentucky; sired by Pioneerof the Nile, and out of  the mare Littleprincessemma.  I have tried to not like this colt.  He is a slightly darker bay than my TB/AQHA colt was, and they shared the same bloodlines.  Pharoah has the same calm, quiet demeanor as Court Jester did - but, then, of course, Pharoah wears earplugs when he leaves the barn to keep the crowd noise from disturbing him...  CJ was just downright inquisitive and wanted to be the center of attention.  Both he, and his sire, would grab their halters and blankets and toss them at people, begging for love and attention.  Spoiled? Yes.  Great athletes?  Both were.  Looking at American Pharoah is like looking at a muscular Court Jester for me.   It makes me love him to pieces.
   American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes yesterday, covering the 1.5 miles on the dirt track (known as Big Sandy) in 2 minutes 26.65 seconds.  He won pulling away, under a hand ride by jockey Victor Espinoza.  The winning margin was 5 1/2 lengths.  Frosted ran second, 2 lengths ahead of Keen Ice, who crossed the finish line a neck in front of Mubtaahij.  The last half of the field, in order of finish, were Frammento, Madefromlucky, Tale of Verve, and Materiality.   American Pharoah's time for the race was 1/5 second faster than Affirmed's winning time in in 1978.  With a small field, and with Pharoah the betting favorite, the returns on $2 bets were small - $3.50  to win for Pharoah; $3.50 to place for Frosted; $4.60 to show for Keen Ice.  The perfecta paid $13.60, the trifecta paid $109.50, and the superfecta paid $570.00
   In regards to the time the race took to run:  Secretariat still holds the track record and stakes record for 1.5 miles.  Secretariat's time was 2 minutes 24 seconds flat (1973).  Easy Goer, in 1989, has the second fastest Belmont time, with 2 minutes 16 seconds flat.  A. P. Indy is in third place with 2 minutes 26.13 seconds.  Risen Star won in 2 minutes 26.4 seconds.  Gallant Man places fifth on the list, with 2 minutes 26.6 seconds.  Then come yesterday's performance by American Pharoah - he ran the sixth fastest Belmont in 2 minutes 26.65 seconds.  And please note that the first and sixth horses on this list are the only two Triple Crown winners....
   Has American Pharoah lived up to all the media hyperbole surrounding him?  I say, "Yes!"

Will American Pharoah Win the Belmont Stakes?

Personally, I hope that American Pharoah will prevail over the seven other contestants.  Why?  Because American thoroughbred racing needs a boost, which it would get, if American Pharoah can win the Triple Crown Championship.  Plus, I really like this colt's breeding. and I like his connections - his owners, trainer, and jockey.  He is also a very good-looking colt - nice, calm eye, good head, great confirmation - and, apparently, he loves to run and win.  I try not to like the betting favorite in any of the Triple Crown races - the last horse I was completely crazy over was Sunday Silence in 1989 - he won the Derby and the Preakness, battling Easy Goer, but Easy Goer won the Belmont.  (Then, again, I was present when Sunday Silence defeated Easy Goer in the Breeders Cup Classic that same year....  Talk about a thrill!)
   Some horses have certain affinities to certain tracks and certain states - Easy Goer never won a race outside of New York state.  American Pharoah has won on tracks in California, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Maryland.  But the Belmont track is huge.  One circuit covers the mile and a half length of the Belmont Stakes race.  Will American Pharoah like the footing?  Will the air and humidity affect him?  His buddy, Smokey (the AQHA registered This Whiz Shines, a horse bred for reining), travels with him, and NBC commentator Donna Brothers usually rides Smokey in her interviews with jockeys after the Triple Crown races.
   The length of the race is the biggest test, as well as staying out of racing trouble.  I want American Pharoah to win.  But none of these colts has raced further than 1.25 miles - that extra quarter mile will be the telling factor.  American Pharoah's pedigree says he should be able to run that distance; so does Frammento's and Frosted's pedigrees.  And Frammento and Frosted like to run at Belmont Park.
We'll just have to wait and see what happens - and, as always, I'll pray that there are no injuries to horses or riders.
    The Epsom Derby is also being run today, across the pond.  Their post time is 4:30 GMT today, which means 10:30 MDT.  I'll be eagerly awaiting the results from Epsom Downs - will Golden Horn remain undefeated?  That would mean Frankie Dettori will win another Derby.   There are twelve horses running in today's Derby....  Again, it's up to racing luck.

Eight in the Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes, the third jewel of the Triple Crown, will be run at 6:50 EDT on Saturday.  Eight three-year-old colts are entered, running one and a half miles, for a purse worth $1.5 million.  Eight horses, seven trainers, eight jockeys, eight owners, eight stallions, eight mares - all hoping to win the Belmont, but only American Pharoah can win the Triple Crown championship.
  All of the colts were bred in Kentucky, except Mubtaahij, who was bred in Ireland.  Todd Pletcher trains Madefromlucky and Materiality.  Frosted is a grey (or roan), Frammento and Madefromlucky are chestnuts,, the other five colts are bay.  Currently, the weather situation seems to be warm, bright, and dry for the Stakes race.
  Here are the horses, in their starting post positions, with their sire in parentheses, followed by the names of their jockeys and trainers, and their morning line betting odds:
1   Mubtaahij  (by Dubawi IRE)   Irad Ortiz, Jr    Michael de Kock     10 to 1
2   Tale of Vereve (by Tale of Ekati)  Gary Stevens    Dallas Stewart   15 to 1
3   Madefromlucky (by Lookin At Lucky)   Javier Castellano   Todd Pletcher   12 to 1
4   Frammento  (by Midshipman)   Mike Smith   Nick Zito   30 to 1
5   American Pharoah  (by Pioneerof the Nile)  Victor Espinoza   Bob Baffert  3 to 5
6   Frosted (by Tapit)   Joel Rosario   Kiaran McLaughlin  5 to 1
7   Keen Ice  (by Curlin)   Kent Desormeaux   Dale Romans   20 to 1
8   Materiality (by Afleet Alex)   John R Velasquez   Todd Pletcher  6 to 1

   I'll give you my picks Saturday - but I'd love for American Pharoah to win and become the twelfth horse to win all American Triple Crown races.

   And I'm upset again.  I know, that seems to be my natural state - but….   A visitor to Rocky Mountain National Park shot and killed a nursing cow elk near Mills Lake.  First, NO Hunting is allowed in RMNP.  Second, it is illegal to fire a weapon inside RMNP boundaries.  Third, the baby elk has not been found, meaning it will probably starve to death.  That makes me want to growl and howl, turn into a grizz and eat the person responsible alive.

The Ponies, Belmont Coverage, Epsom Derby

The Chincoteague High School Ponies baseball team did something great this year - they played their entire schedule and were undefeated.  They were named the Region 41 Baseball Champions.  Yesterday, the team started in the Play-Offs - and they defeated the Middlesex Chargers by a score of 8 to 4 in the East Regional Division.  Way to go, young men!!  I'll definitely be yelling, "Go Ponies!"
   NBC has announced their coverage of the Belmont Stakes weekend.  On Friday, the NBC Sports Network will have a program beginning  at 3:30 EDT - I'm not sure if there will be live racing coverage from Belmont Park, or if it will be looking at (a) previous Triple Crown winners or (b) the 13 colts that have won both the Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont, since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown  in 1978.  There are two interesting stakes race at Belmont on Friday - the New York Stakes, for fillies and mares age 4 and up, which is 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf track; and the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes being run for horses four and up, covering 2 miles on the turf.  The girls' race has 8 entries, while the 2 mile race has 11 contestants.
    On Saturday, there will be 10 graded stakes races at Belmont, including the Belmont Stakes.  There are two Invitational races, plus the Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a one mile distance - the female portion of the Triple Crown races.  NBC Sports Network will begin coverage at 2:30 EDT; then NBC will take over coverage from 4:30 until 7 p.m. (EDT); with NBC Sports Network providing another 30 minutes of coverage after the race, from 7 until 7:30.  All of the other stakes races look intriguing…  I just hope for zero injuries.
   The draw for Belmont post positions will take place today.  I'll write about them tomorrow, but it looks like a ten horse field.  American Pharoah is the betting favorite, and, if he wins the Belmont on Saturday, will be the 12th Triple Crown winner in America.
   At 4:30 p.m., Greenwich Mean Time, the Epsom Derby will be run in England.  There are 15 entries, and the last betting odds I saw ran from 3 to 2, to 250 to 1….  Wow.   Here are the runners, listed alphabetically, with their odds behind their names:  Best of Times 66 to 1; Carbon Dating  250 to 1; Elm Park  7 to 1; Epicuris  25 to 1; Giovanni Canaletto  7 to 1; Golden Horn  3 to 2; Hans Holbein  12 to 1; Jack Hobbs  11 to 2; Killimanjaro  20 to 1; Moheet  40 to 1;  Rocky Rider  100 to 1;  Rogue Runner  100 to 1; Storm the Stars  25 to 1;  Success Days  16 to 1; and Zawraq  6 to 1.
    Happy betting!

Horses - Thoroughbreds in Particular

In six days, the world will know whether or not there is a new Triple Crown Champion in the United States.  It would be nice.  The last Triple Crown winner was chestnut, Florida-bred Affirmed in 1978, which was 37 years ago.  In those 37 years, there have been 13 colts who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but could not win the one-and-a-half mile Belmont Stakes in New York.  American Pharoah is the current champion-in-waiting, and I would positively love it, if he wins.  He has the Hyperion breeding that I love very much.   And Fred Hooper was a Florida breeder, who started combining the Hyperion lines - my love to you and Hoop Jr., sir.  
  It seems that there will be nine opponents facing American Pahroah in the Belmont - and he has raced against eight of them in either the Derby or the Preakness.  The lone new horse next Saturday will be The Truth Or Else, whom American Pharaoh defeated earlier in the year.  Of course, American Pharaoh is the betting favorite.  Here are the names of the other contenders: Frosted, Tale of Verve, Carpe Diem, Frammento, Materiality, Madefromlucky, Keen Ice, Mubtaahij, and The Truth Or Else.  Post positions will be drawn on Wednesday for the race on 6  June.
  The other horses, who have achieved winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont (since 1978) are:  1979 - Spectacular Bid, 1981 - Pleasant Colony, 1987 - Alysheba, 1989 - Sunday Silence, 1997 - Silver Charm, 1998 - Real Quiet, 1999 - Charismatic, 2002 - War Emblem, 2003 - Funny Cide, 2004 - Smarty Jones, 2008 - Big Brown, 2012 - I'll Have Another (did not compete in the Belmont), and 2014 - California Chrome.
   Speaking of California Chrome, his owners have him stabled at Royal Ascot, where he is scheduled to run in the Prince of Wales Stakes on 17 June.  Jockey Frankie Dettori took Chrome out for a spin the other day, to see if he'd like to race him.  I heaven't yet heard Frankie's decision.
    Also, Zenyatta, the Queen of Racing,  is back in foal.  She has produced two colts and a filly, Cozmic One and Ziconic, and the ill-fated Z Princess, who died from a paddock accident at the age of one.  She wasn't bred last year; but this year, she was bred back to War Front, who sired her last foal, the filly.  According to the veterinarians, she is now 40 days pregnant.  Hip, hip, hooray!
     Besides the Belmont Stakes, the Epsom Derby is being run on 6 June, in England.  Their Derby race is 12 furlongs, plus 30 feet (1.5 miles plus 30 feet) - or 30 feet further than the Belmont Stakes; and their colts carry 126 pounds.  There are 17 colts that are currently registered for the run.  Alphabetically, they are:  Best of Times, Carbon Dating, Elm Park, Epicuris, Giovanni Canaletto, Gleneagles, Golden Horn, Great Glen, Hans Holbein, Jack Hobbs, Kilimanjaro, Moheet, Prince Gagarin, Rocky Rider, Rogue Runner, Storm the Stars, and Zawraq.  At the moment, Golden Horn is the betting favorite.

Belmont Stakes, Epsom Derby

It's a wet, soggy three-day weekend and I'm at home.  This is the first time in 5 years that I haven't been house-sitting on this weekend; seems strange.  But that's OK - I have plenty to do to get ready to move.  This is also the weekend of the Boulder Creek Festival, and Monday will see the running of the Bolder Boulder 10 K race, right in front of my apartment building.  Brother-in-law Jim is supposed to be running this year, but between the weather and Kathy's illness, I don't know if he'll actually participate or not.
   It's now two weeks to the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown horse races.  This race is run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, over a dirt track with all of the three-year-old entrants carrying 126 pounds for a mile and a half.  For the majority of these horses, this will be the longest race they will ever run in their entire life.  Originally, horse racing consisted of races that were between four and six miles long.  There were so many entrants (as horses didn't begin to race until they were 4 or 5 years old) that the races were run in heats, and the horse that was declared the winner of the race ended up running that distance two or three times in one day.  It was a matter of stamina over the long haul.  Today's horses are bred for their quickness at much shorter distances.  Ah, for the "good old days" of 350 years ago....
  American Pharoah is back at Churchill Downs, and is training there for the Belmont Stakes.   It looks like Frosted will be joining him in the starting gate, as well as previous contestants Carpe Diem, Tale of Verve, Frammento, Keen Ice, Madefromlucky, Materiality, and Mubtaahij. Two new runners look to be Conquest Curlinate and War Story.  I will be very happy if we can celebrate a twelfth Triple Crown Champion this year.  And - if you're interested in the breeding of American Pharoah, check out this article in The Blood Horse, "Hail Hooper, Hyperion":   http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91940/hail-hooper-hyperion
   At Belmont, it seems that Ziconic, Zenyatta's second foal, has a liking for the flashy Spanish Walk that was his mother's trademark:

And in England, the Epsom Derby will be run on 6 June at Epsom Downs.  There are currently 16 horses entered,, and the early betting favorite, Golden Horn, will have to be a supplemental entry at a cost of 75,000 pounds, if he is to participate.  Another possible supplemental entry could be the filly Found.  These 16 colts, in no particular order, are currently pre-entered: (1) Moheet, (2) Carbon Dating, (3) Best of Times, (4) Storm the Stars, (5) Pour Moi, (6) Epicuris, (7) Prince Gagarin, (8) Great Glen, (9) Elm Park, (10) Giovanni Canaletto, (11) Rogue Runner, (12) Zawraq, (13) Gleneagles, (14) Hans Holbein, (15) Kilimanjaro, and (16) Jack Hobbs.  The Epsom Derby covers 12 furlongs plus 10 yards, or 1.5 miles and 10 yards, The colts are all assigned 9 stone, or 126 pounds.

A Quiet Sunday

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