Bits and Pieces, a Miscellany

I really sympathize with Tahlequah, the orca mother, whose baby died soon after birth.  She has been carrying her dead calf on her head for 17 days, and has traveled over 1,000 miles since the death.  The oceanographers who have been studying her and the J pod of orcas off the coasts of Alaska and Washington are beginning to worry about her condition.  They don't know if other members of her pod are providing her with food, or if she is fasting.  Another member of the pod, a 3 1/2 year-old male, is is very poor condition and appears to be starving to death.  It is believed that he might have a huge parasite infestation or an infection of some type.

Wilbur L Ross Jr is the current Secretary of Commerce for the United States.  It has recently been reported that he has "grifted" (or swindled) about $120 million from business associates over the past 20 years.  And is still laughed at for being such a tight-wad that he steals hands fulls of Sweet'N'Low artificial sweetener from restaurants so he won't have to spend his own money to purchase a box for home use....

New York Republican and US Representative Chris Collins has been arrested by the FBI and charged with insider trading.  Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York allege that Collins, while he was a board member of the Australian company Innate Immunotherapeutics, gave a tip to his son Cameron last year about a failed drug trial that would soon  be announced.  His son used that information to dump the company's stock and avoid a six-figure loss, the Justice Department alleges, and Cameron Collins passed that information along to his father-in-law.  Both of those men were charged along with Collins.  All three pleaded not guilty.
  Since July 2017, Federal Election Commission records show Collins' campaign has been paying up to $60,000 per month in legal services to prestigious law firm BakerHostetler.  The firm is representing Collins in the case.  While it is legal to use campaign funds to pay for legal fees, it's not clear if donors or consitituents knew their money was paying for Collins' legal fees.  These legal fees covered the time period of two separate House of Representatives probes, including one by the Office of Congressional Ethics and another by the House Ethics Committee.

A District of Columbia Federal District Judge - Emmet Sullivan - erupted at the Trump administration yesterday when he learned that two asylum seekers fighting deportation were, at that moment, being deported and were on a plane to El Salvador. Judge Sullivan then blocked the administration from from deporting the two plaintiffs while they are fighting for their right to stay in the United States. He excoriated the administration and threatened to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt of court.
  Sullivan agreed with the American Civil Liberties Union that the immigrants they are representing in a federal lawsuit should not be deported while their cases are pending.  The emergency hearing in the case turned quite dramatic when attorneys discovered partway through the hearing that two of their clients were on a plane to El Salvador.  The government raced to comply with the court's order, and by Thursday evening the immigrants had arrived back in Texas after being turned around on the ground in El Salvador.

ProPublica, a non-profit outfit that seeks to provide free public information, dropped a bomb-shell the other day, when they released their report on the three men pulling the strings at the Veteran's Administration.  All of their information came from making FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests, and from one-on-one interviews.  David Shulkin, the VA administrator, was pushed out by the current group in the White House - or so it was thought.  The FOIA papers show that three of Trump's golf cronies from Mar-a-Lago are now running the VA, from behind a curtain - just like the Wizard of Oz.  The three men are: Ike Perlmutter, the chairman of Marvel Entertainment; Bruce Moskowitz, a Palm Beach doctor who helps wealthy people obtain high-service "concierge" medical care; and Marc Sherman.  All are members of Mar-a-Largo; none has ever served in the military, and none have hands-on business experience running a medical center, let alone the vast beast that is the Veteran's Administration.
   For complete information see:  https://www.propublica.org/article/ike-perlmutter-bruce-moskowitz-marc-sherman-shadow-rulers-of-the-va

And since Justify, the American Triple Crown winner of this year was forced to retire due to a recurring injury in his left leg, the Breeders Cup Classic for this year is now wide open.  The Breeders Cup races will be held at Churchill Downs on November 2nd and 3rd this year, so be sure to mark your calendar!

Upcoming....

Tomorrow is Hallowe'en in the Christian world - or All Hallows Eve(ning).   We have three metal owls with witches' hats and bat buddies on our balcony, plus a giant spider web (with purple lights on the strands) and a huge orange spider on it, five holographic bats with green eyes, and two strands of black and orange cobwebs that have silver and black spiders crawling up them.  We have four jack-o-lantern orange and black bells, and a green, purple, and black spider, hanging from the wreath holder.  We have a very large pumpkin outside the door, too.    We have a large bag of candy that Beatrice chose to hand out to anyone who comes to our door.  No one came last year.  Our friend Valerie might bring her daughter by, and Sonia might bring her grandsons over - so we're "kind of" expecting 4 to 6 small children to ring the bell tomorrow night.  
    And a client's daughter decided she needs to go out and party with her boy friend rather than stay at home and hand out candy tomorrow night, so while Bea stays home, I'll be two miles away with a dog, a young puppy, and two cats.  I'll probably take some candy over there, as I know there are usually 20 to 150 kids going through that neighborhood.  I'd much rather read quietly than have to answer the bell after calming down the dog and puppy!
   Tuesday is All Saints Day, and Wednesday is All Souls Day - or the Day of the Dead (again, in the Christian world).....   My rent is due on Thursday.
    Friday and Saturday are the 2017 Breeders Cup Horse races, held this year at Del Mar Racetrack - where the turf meets the surf.   Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner this year, was expected to run in the Classic on Saturday, but has been scratched due to swelling in one ankle.  Several other horses that were thought to be running this year have been retired - but California Chrome looks to run in the Classic again this year, and his owners have announced that he might continue his racing career next year, as well.
    Next Tuesday, 8 November, is the national election day in the United States of America.  There are seats in our Senate and Congress that will be on the ballot; seats for state representatives; judge approvals; amendments to state, county, and city laws; voting on taxes to be used for specific purposes; and, of course, the really important question for the world at large - who will be elected President of the United States?  Hillary Rodham Clinton or Donald John Trump?  Or will one of the other 20 parties win?  Or a write-in candidate?  It's pretty sure that either the Republicans or the Democrats will have the most votes, and not the others - but....   It's still making me very nervous.
    I voted, and I know my ballot has been accepted and counted.  Beatrice starts working for the Boulder County Elections Office on Tuesday, as a temporary information assistant.  She'll be employed six, possibly eight days, answering voters' questions regarding this years ballot - when and where they can turn it in, or where to go to vote, verifying that a ballot was sent, etc....   I've volunteered for one day of getting handed ballots for collection next Monday, at one of the drive-up locations.   'Twill be interesting, I'm sure!

Happy All Hallows Eve!

From dark until dawn tonight all the beasties, ghouls, ghosts and things that go bump in the night roam the earth.  Today is also the birthday of Ethel Waters, John Keats, Christopher Columbus, Jane Pauley, Dale Evans, Juliette Gordon Lowe, Michael Landon, Peter Jackson, John Candy and Michael Collins - quite a selection of celebrities. Evolving from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, modern Halloween has become less about literal ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy.  The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter; they also believed that this transition between the seasons was a bridge to the world of the dead.  Over the millenia the holiday has transitioned from a somber pagan ritual to a day of merriment, costumes, parades and sweet treats for all.
  Today is also the beginning of the two days of the Breeders Cup.  Today and tomorrow, the best horses in the world of thoroughbred racing will compete in 13 races with purses totaling $24.5 million.  Four races will be held today at Santa Anita with a total worth of $5 million.  See my previous blogs for my thoughts on each of the races.

Cats, Horses, and Count Saint Germain

I had an unusual day yesterday, which is why I didn't blog - I was in too many places, doing too many things, for too many people.  At least I was able to see The Blacklist without any problems - but the two shows I watch before that were both interrupted.  At the moment, it's sunny outside with just a few high clouds, and it's about 70 degrees.  I have the window and patio door open, and am sitting comfortably at my desk.  -  Nedi is such a little sweetie!  He was walking along the edge of the fence at the far side of the yard, then paused and looked in the window; I waved and said, "Love you, Nedi!" and he came at a full run across the yard, ran through the door, and then jumped into my lap for love and scratching.  Lovey is curled up asleep in the afghan on the sofa...
   It's less than 12 days to the Breeders Cup races at Santa Anita, and I was sorry to discover that they have dropped the Breeders Cup Marathon - for those thoroughbreds that like to run further than a mile and a quarter on the dirt course.  All of the other races were worth a purse of at least $1 million, but the Marathon purse never went higher than $500,000.  Originally, thoroughbreds were raced at a distance of 4 or 5 miles, and ran in heats, so the winner might run twice, three, or four times in one day to be declared the winner.  Today's American thoroughbreds are bred to run a mile or less.  It's too bad that we have changed the breed so much in the search for a young, blazingly fast horse. Most racing thoroughbreds are retired at the age of three, four, or five.  Most people who watch racing do not realize that a horse or pony does not reach full maturity until they are 8 years of age - I love to watch racing, but I mourn the "ancient days" of racing, when horses began to race at the age of 4 or 5 years, not at 18 months.
   The first day of the two days of Breeders Cup races begins on Friday, 31 October, which is better known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.  I have been enjoying a wonderful series of books written by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro about the legendary Count Saint Germain.  He appears in history as an alchemist, who seems to know a lot more about the world than his fellows.  He is mentioned in letters and diaries of people in France, England, Germany and Switzerland.  In December 1747, Horace Walpole (the 4th Earl of Orford, an art historian,and Whig politician) wrote, in a letter from London: "The other day they seized an odd man, who goes by the name of Count St Germain.  He has been here these two years,and will not tell who he is,or whence, but professes (two wonderful things, the first) that he does not go by his right name; (and the second) that he never had any dealings with any woman - nay, nor with any succedaneum. He sings, plays on the violin wonderfully, composes, is mad, and not very sensible.  He is called an Italian, a Spaniard, a Pole; a somebody that married a great fortune in Mexico, and ran away with her jewels to Constantinople; a priest, a fiddler, a vast nobleman.  The Prince of Wales has had unsatiated curiosity about him, but in vain.  However, nothing has been made out against him; he is released; and, what convinces me that he is not a gentleman, stays here, and talks of his being taken up for a spy."   In Ms. Yarbro's books, Saint Germain is a vampire - but quite different from Bram Stoker's type of vampire.  I'll be writing more about him, and the Breeders Cup in the next two weeks.....

Breeders Cup & Thoroughbred News

It was forecast that we would have between 1/2  and 2 inches of snow last night and/or this morning.  It's 32 degrees outside, but there is no sign of the white stuff.  All I need to do today is walk Lucy Lu around noon...  Slow days can be fun.  Especially when I've worked my buns off to get my apartment clean for the threatened "sanitary" inspection.  There is a little bit of kitty fur on the drapes, but everything else is spotless - with many thanks to Nancy J and Beatrice B.    -    I have my annual check-up next Wednesday, and the only thing I have left to do this month (besides my scheduled jobs) is to get an appointment with my psychiatrist and therapist, so I can get my medications renewed.
   Other than Secret Compass, all of the horses who ran in the Breeders Cup Championship races are fine. The jockeys are all A-OK, with the exception of John Velasquez, who is still recovering in the hospital from the removal of his spleen on Saturday.  After winning three races in the two-day meet, jockey Mike Smith won the coveted Bill Shoemaker Award for the second year in a row.  Three cheers for Mike!
    Of the colts who won this year's Triple Crown races, only Palace Malice, who won the Belmont, is still in training.  He raced Saturday in the Breeders Cup Classic, and finished just out of the money in sixth place. Kentucky Derby winner Orb will be standing at stud at Claiborne Farms  beginning next year, and Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow will be covering mares at Taylor Made Farms.
   The November Fasig-Tipton sale was amazing yesterday.  Mizdirection, who won the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday, was sold as either a racing or broodmare prospect for the price of $2,700,000.  Love and Pride, a broodmare in foal to Distorted Humor, was sold for $4,900,000.  And Betterbetterbetter, a broodmare in foal to War Front, was sold for $5,200,000.  Wow.  The upper end of the thoroughbred sales doesn't seem to be feeling our troubled economy.
   Also, as a last note, fourteen-year-old stallion Harlan's Holiday, a very good juvenile sire was euthanized last week in Argentina.  The stallion had a normal day, and, in the afternoon, had covered a mare with no problems.  The stallion's hindquarters collapsed as he returned to his stall, and his intestines prolapsed. Even though there were veterinarians present within 2 minutes of his collapse, the horse was put down, as they could not get him back on his feet, nor could they reverse the prolapse.  So very, very sad....
 

Breeders Cup Friday Results

Yesterday gave Mike Smith his 18th and 19th wins in Breeders Cup races; he was the betting favorite on Royal Delta in the Distaff, with the mare trying to win three Breeders Cups in a row.  Royal Delta just didn't "fire" in her race yesterday, finishing fourth.  Mike has a horse in 8 of the 9 races today - we'll see how he does.
  The Breeders Cup Championship races will be shown live on the NBC Sports channel during the day, with the $5,000,000 Breeders Cup Classic on your normal NBC channel.  I made a little bit of money betting yesterday, mostly on the Marathon race....
  The Breeders Cup Marathon was won by London Bridge, under the ride of Mike Smith; Blueskiesnrainbows finished second, and Worldly was third. They paid $20, $9, and $4.80 respectively; and the exacta ($2 bet) paid $192.40.
   Outstrip, a grey or roan colt, ridden by Mike Smith, won the Juvenile Turf race.  He was followed under the wire by Giovanni Boldini and Bobby's Kitten.  The respective pay offs were: $14, $6.40, and $2.40; the exacta paid $46.20.
    The Dirt Mile was won by Goldencents; followed by Golden Ticket, with Brujo de Olleros in third.  Payouts for the first three finishers were: $9.60, $6.40, and $4.60.  The $2 exacta paid $69.80.
    Chriselliam blew away the rest of the field in the Fillies Juvenile Turf race.  She was followed by Testa Rossi and Colonel Joan.  The pay offs were $15.80, $11.20, and $16.60.  With Colonel Joan at such high odds, the exacta paid $158.40, and the $2 trifecta paid $5,620.60.
     Royal Delta was the betting favorite in the Distaff, followed by Beholder and Princess of Sylmar.  With only six betting choices because of the quality of the field, one had limited choices to bet on.  Beholder, a three-year-old filly, who won last year's Juvenile Filly, won Friday's Distaff, under the guidance of Gary Stevens.  Close Hatches with Joel Rosario finished second, and Authenticity, under John Velasquez, was third.  The pay offs were:  $7.60, $6.60, and $4.20; the exacta paid $42.60.
 

Breeders Cup and More

Archaeologists surveying for a new railroad line at Gamla Uppsala, Sweden have discovered a large monument that dates to about 500 AD.  They found a mile-long avenue or path, that was lined with 144 precisely placed pillars, each estimated to be about 23 feet tall.  If you'd like more information, please visit:  http://www.examiner.com/article/archaeologists-discover-massive-1-500-year-old-monument-sweden
   Yesterday Boulder wildlife officials kept an eye on an un-tagged black bear who spent most of the day in trees near Iris and 34th Street.  Near dusk, when the bear seemed to be settling down, instead of moving on, it was shot with a tranquilizer dart in order to remove it.  The first dart only made the bear run.  A second dart sedated the young male, estimated at being 2 to 5 years old.  He was transported into Rocky Mountain National Park and released.
  In eleven days, the Breeders Cup World Championship thoroughbred racing series will begin it's 30th running.  The Breeders Cup will take place at Santa Anita Park in California on November 1 and 2.  This year, there will be 14 races run - five on Friday and nine on Saturday.  It seems that my (and a lot of other folks') complaint about running all of the female races on Friday has been recognized as a type of segregation - this year,  the Friday races are:  the Marathon, with a purse of $500,000; the Juvenile (2-year-old) Fillies Turf, the Dirt Mile, and the Juvenile Males Turf, each with a prize of $1 million; and the Distaff, with a purse of $2 million.  On Saturday, the purses range from $1 million to $5 million; the races, in the order they are scheduled to run are: Juvenile Fillies, Fillies & Mares Turf, Fillies & Mares Sprint, the Turf Sprint, the Juvenile, the Turf, the Sprint, the Mile, and ending with the Classic.
  There is some sad news in the racing world: Dullahan, a bright chestnut son of Even the Score, and grandson of Unbridled's Song, was retired from racing a week ago, after it was found he had injured a foreleg in his defense of the Pacific Coast Classic.  Early yesterday morning, during a barn check, he was found to be sweating heavily in his stall, and was taken to an equine hospital.  It was determined, during surgery, that his intestine had ruptured - and that it had done so in an explosive way.  Vets decided that with the amount of contamination in Dullahan's abdominal cavity, it was best to euthanize him on the spot.  We've lost another nice prospective sire to colic.
 

Saturday's Breeders Cup Results

Well, I didn't win anywhere near as much as I did yesterday, but having started with $50, and finishing with $743.20 isn't too bad a record. My choices for today's races stank. I placed five $2 win bets on the first race; lost $10. I placed four $2 win and $2 place bets on the second race; lost $16. That meant I only had $24 of my stake left. On the third race, I placed four $2 place bets, spending $8. I got a return of $8.40. Fourth race, I made four $2 win bets, and a $1 trifecta that I felt Jeff would have bet. The trifecta paid $360.50. So you want to know how poorly I handicapped the races? Here goes:

  In the Juvenile Turf, I picked Balance the Books, who finished in third; Joha, who finished in eighth; Brown Almighty, who finished in ninth; and Know More, who finished 13th out of fourteen runners. (Minus $10, because I also bet on Gervinho.) George Vancouver (who is a descendant of *Forli) won; Noble Tune was second; and Balance the Books (also *Forli-bred) was third.

  In the Filly and Mare Sprint, my blog choices finished third (Switch), seventh (Turbulent Descent), ninth (Great Hot), and last (Strike the Moon). Groupie Doll, a gorgeous chestnut filly, won; she was the betting favorite. Dust and Diamonds, whose pedigree I liked, but didn't bet on, was second; and Switch was third. (Lost another $16. - Now down to $24 to bet on the rest of the day's races....)

  In the Dirt Mile, I just bet four separate horses to place; luckily, Rail Trip did run second. Jersey Town finished fifth; Shackleford was seventh, and Fed Biz was eighth. Tapizar won the race; Rail Trip was second; and Delegation was third. I had bet $8, and received $8.40 as my payback.

  The Turf Sprint had me cringing because the race seemed so wide open - I bet my blog picks to win, and then, just for the heck of it, I got a $1 trifecta ticket, betting on horses I felt Jeff would pick. I lost another $8 on my blog picks to win. Unbridled's Note finished second; Great Mills was fourth; Great Attack was fifth; and Corporate Jungle was sixth. But, playing my "husband hunch" I bet Mizdirection, Undridled's Note, and Reneesgotzip on the $1 trifecta slip. I received $360.50 back.

  Since I now had a little cushion, I bet a little more: I made four $2 place bets, and five $2 exacta bets for the Juvenile. I saw how superb Shanghai Bobby looked, and I used him in the win spot on the exacta bets. Shanghai Bobby won the race, with He's Had Enough in second, and Capo Bastone was third. I had bet He's Had Enough on a $2 exacta with Bobby, and I had also bet on him to place - so I garnered $103.40. My other picks finished fourth (Fortify), Speak Logistics was seventh; and Monument was last. Rosie Napravnik became the second ever female Breeders Cup winning jockey, following in Julie Krone's footsteps.

  In the Turf, I made five $2 win bets - four on the horses I liked, and one for Jeff - I lost, Jeff won. My picks, St. Nicholas Abbey, was third; Trailblazer was fourth; Treasure Beach was tenth; and Optimizer was eleventh of twelve. The winner was Little Mike (Jeff liked Unbridled's bloodlines, and all grey horses); Point of Entry finished second. I handed over $10, and got $36.60 back.

  I was completely blown away by Trinniberg's win in the Sprint. I bet the four horses I had named in my blog - $2 each to both win and place. The Lumber Guy finished second, so I got $6.40 back, having handed over $16. Not a great deal. My other three horses were disappointing: Coil was seventh; Hamazing Destiny was tenth; and Gantry finished in eleventh place.

  With only nine entries in the Mile Turf, I felt I could play some more, and spread the money around.... I was getting punch drunk, I think. I really didn't hand over that much at the window - $12 - four $2 win tickets, one $2 exacta, and one $2 trifecta. My horses did not win. I had bet on Obviously, who finished in third; Excelebration, who finished fourth; Suggestive Boy was seventh; and Moonlight Cloud was eighth of nine. I had made my exacta bet on Mr. Commons and Obviously (fifth and third). But, again, I made a Jeff bet - and hit it nicely with the trifecta: Wise Dan, Animal Kingdom, and Obviously. I was handed $249.40 for that choice. Wise Dan, the favorite, finished the one mile on turf in 1:31.78 to break the previous Santa Anita record of 1:31.89 set by Atticus in 1997.

  Then I blew my top when my local station pre-empted the first 30 minutes of the Classic coverage because Notre Dame and Penn State had run into three over-times. I called the station, I e-mailed the station, and I complained to NBC. Too bad - I just missed 30 minutes of "lead-in".... Game on Dude was the betting favorite as the horses entered the starting gate. I lost my mind while I was angry with the local station: I made a $10 win bet, then quickly made four other $2 win bets... The horses I made $2 bets on were: Ron the Greek, who finished in fourth place; Richard's Kid, who ran fifth; Nonios, who was sixth; and To Honor and Serve, who finished tenth in a field of twelve. Apparently my brain knew what it was doing, because I placed the $10 win bet on Fort Larned, who won. The big guy Mucho Macho Man finished in second; and Flat Out was third.

   I spent $117 on my bets - I cleared $693.20. My winnings from both days went into my grand-daughter's college savings account.

Today's Breeders Cup Races

I ended up in the black with my betting today. But currently my blood pressure is through the roof, because our local station aired 30 minutes of News (mostly political ads) instead of the first 30 minutes of the Breeders Cup Classic program that was scheduled. It was not necessary for me to see that half-hour, but I enjoy seeing the film of previous races, and having the background commentary. It just blew me away that NBC Sports went from celebrating the eight Breeders Cup winners from today to 18 minutes of news, with 12 minutes of political ads, then to Tony Bennett singing as the 12 horses walked onto the track of the running for the Breeders Cup. It was totally surreal! And once the race was run, there was this incredibly rushed winners circle visit. NBC and KUSA screwed up on the coverage of the $5 million race. (And I am pissed.)

My Breeders Cup Betting Today...

OK, because I made a bet for my husband (because he can't), and because I changed my mind on my picks in one race, I started out with $30 to bet with, and ended up with $2,614+. I ended up bombing out on several races, but, overall, I'm pleased.

  The Juvenile Sprint was fun. I went with Hightail because of his breeding, and his looks, and, honestly, because D Wayne Lukas was training him. I placed a $10 bet on him to win, and placed several $2 trifecta bets. I included Merit Man on the trifecta bets, because he was the favorite. There were two scratches in this race; Super Ninety Nine was cast in his stall this morning, and the track stewards and veterinarian scratched South Floyd after his warm-up on the track. So there were five horses in the race.... Hightail won; Merit Man was second; Sweet Shirley Mae came in third. The six furlongs were run in 1.09.75; the race had a purse of $500,000. I bet $18 of my $30 on this starting race; my payback was $285.80. So I had money to play with...

  There were thirteen starters in the $500,000 Marathon. Calidoscopio won the 1 3/4 mile race in 2.57.50; he was an import from Argentina, and I had no information on him. I made 4 bets on this race, spending $17. I made three win only bets of $5, and, in memory of my husband, I made a $2 exacta that I'm sure he would have made, on Calidoscopio over Grassy. That $2 bet paid $505, while I also lost $15... Calidoscopio ran first; Grassy was second, and Atigun was third. I had chosen Fame and Glory and Sense of Purpose, both of whom were eased and did not finish the race, along with Balladry, who finished 6th, and Jaycito, who was last of the finishers. Bad choices on my part...

  In the Juvenile Filly Turf, I had no info on Flotilla or The Gold Cheongsam. As soon as I saw film of Flotilla this afternoon, I switched her onto my betting list. Flotilla won the $1 million race in 1.34.64. My other two choices were Watsdachances and Summer of Fun, who finished second and third. I had also placed a 5 $1 exacta bets and 5 $1 trifecta bets... I spent $25 in bets; my return was $1,853.50. My picks from Thursday's Blog finished second and third; with Sustained scratched by the veterinarian, Moonwalk was 7th, and Infanta Branca was 11th.

  The Juvenile Filly was a bust for me - Beholder won the $2 million race in 1.43.68. Second was Executiveprivilege, and third was Dreaming of Julia. I was now betting soft - only to win, and only on the horses I named in the Blog... Dreaming of Julia placed third; Kauai Katie was fourth; Spring in the Air was fifth; and Almost an Angel was last... I lost $20 in bets....

  The Filly and Mare Turf was for $2 million, and Zagora won it in 1.59.70. (Again, being a squirrel, and wanting to save most of what I'd already won, I only placed bets to win...) I placed $5 win bets on Marketing Mix, who finished in second; The Fugue, who placed third; Ridasiyna finished fourth, and I'm a Dreamer , who was sixth. At least some of my picks finished in the money, even though I didn't bet that way... (So another $20 gone.)

  The Ladies Classic was the last Breeders Cup race of today. I didn't pick the winner here, either - but I'm very happy that Mike Smith won his 15th BC race. Undefeated Royal Delta was the betting favorite, and she stayed undefeated, winning the $2 million race in 1.48.80. Questing, who was expected to shoot to the front of the race, never wanted to run, and was eased well before the finish. The vets could not find anything wrong with her immediately. My Blog picks were My Miss Aurelia, who finished second; Include Me Out, who was third; Awesome Feather was 6th; and Class Included was 7th.

   All in all, I spent $120 on my bets. I ended up with $2,644.30, counting the $30 I started with. Not too bad, actually....  I'll start out with $50 in hand tomorrow.

My Saturday Breeders Cup Picks

First: Today's Breeder Cup race scratches: Worth Repeating has been scratched from the Marathon, and Sustained has been scratched from the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

  Tomorrow's Breeders Cup races are nine in number. Two are restricted to 2-year-old boys; one is restricted to girls of any age. The other six races are open to either sex, ages three years and up. There are still several horses that I haven't seen a photo of, and a few that I have no information on whatever... But here goes:

  First tomorrow is the Juvenile Turf, going 1 mile, with each 2-year-old boy carrying 122 pounds. There are 14 colts and 1 ridgling entered in this race. Gervinho and Noble Tune are both undefeated; Dry Summer (post 11) is the ridgling. I have no information on Rising Legend, other than he was bred in England. Seven of the entrants are descended from *Forli, so I like them; Noble Tune has Unbridled on the top of his pedigree and Storm Cat on the bottom. I like the way both Noble Tune and Gervinho look, but they will probably be the betting favorites. I like the pedigree of Lines of Battle. I'll bet on Brown Almighty, Balance the Books, Joha, and Know More....

  The Filly and Mare Sprint is the next race; it covers 7 furlongs, and all the entries (ten) are 4 or 5 years of age and they all carry 124 pounds. For pedigree, I like Belle of the Hall, Dust and Diamonds, Rumor, and Switch. By looks, I prefer Strike the Moon, Turbulent Descent, Great Hot and Musical Romance. I'll go with Turbulent Descent, Great Hot, and Switch.

  The (Dirt) Mile follows the ladies. It's weight for age; three 3-year-olds carry 123 pounds racing against six older horses who carry 126 pounds. Of the 9 entries, Rail Trip, Delegation, John Scott, and Second City are geldings. Delegation, Fed Biz, and Second City are 3-year-olds. Shackleford, last year's winner of the Preakness looks good shortening up. I like John Scott's pedigree. I'll bet on Jersey Town, Fed Biz, and Rail Trip, with Shackleford as my wild card.

  The Turf Sprint has a route of 6.5 furlongs, and weight carried is assigned by age and sex. Thirteen of the 16 entries carry 126 pounds; the exceptions are Reneesgotzip, a 3-year-old filly, who carries 121 pounds; Mizdirection, a grey 4-year-old filly, who backs 123 pounds; and Undbridled's Note, a 3-year-old colt, who is assigned 124 pounds. The horses range in age from 8 years (California Flag) to the two 3-year-olds. In this race, I'll back Great Mills, Great Attack, Corporate Jungle, and Unbridled's Note. I also like Starspangled Heat. My husband would be betting on California Flag, Starspangledbanner and Mizdirection.

  Two-year-old boys vie in the Juvenile; all carry 122 pounds over a distance of 1 and 1/16 miles. There are 9 entries, and I've seen 7 of them. I like the pedigrees of Title Contender, Speak Logistics, He's Had Enough and Fortify. I like the looks of Shanghai Bobby (probably the betting favorite), Monument, and Fortify. I'll put money on Speak Logistics, He's Had Enough, Monument and Fortify.

  In the Turf race, eleven boys and one girl will travel 1 and 1/2 miles. It's a weight for age and sex race; eight horses carry 126 pounds; Shareta, a 4-year-old filly, carries 123 pounds; the 3-year-old boys (Cogito, Dullahan, and Optimizer) carry 122 pounds. I like the breeding of St. Nicholas Abbey, Shareta, Little Mike, and Trailblazer (a grandson of Sunday Silence). Betting on looks and breeding, I'll bet on St. Nicholas Abbey, Treasure Beach, Optimizer, and Trailblazer.

  The Sprint! I used to make huge money on the Sprint; then I hit a period where i could not pick a winner at all. All entries, fourteen, in this race are colts; all carry 126 pounds, with the exception of the four 3-year-olds (Sum of the Parts, Jimmy Creed, The Lumber Guy, and Trinniberg) who carry 124 pounds. Amazombie is trying to get a repeat win, and might be the betting favorite. My husband would choose Justin Phillip, The Lumber Man, and Capital Account. Based on looks and pedigree, I'll choose Gantry, Coil, The Lumber Guy, and Hamazing Destiny.

  The Mile (Turf) has 9 entries. The eight males carry 126 pounds, while the lone girl, Moonlight Cloud totes 123. Animal Kingdom and/or Wise Dan will probably be the bettors' choice. I like the breeding of Mr. Commons and Jeranimo. I'll place my bucks on Obviously, Excelebration, Suggestive Boy, and Moonlight Cloud.

  The Classic has a purse of $5 million, and NBC is going to show this race in prime time tomorrow night. There are 12 runners, aged 7 to 3 years. They will run the United States' classic distance of 1 and 1/4 miles on the main track. Three 3-year-old colts are challenging the older boys. The older males will carry 126, while Alpha, Nonios, and Handsome Mike have 122 pounds on their backs. I like the breeding of Pool Play, Flat Out, Alpha, Brilliant Speed,and Mucho Macho Man. I will bet on looks and breeding - Fort Larned (a grandson of Bayakoa), Nonios (with Pleasant Colony and Affirmed on top, with Touch Gold on the bottom), Richard's Kid (Lemon Drop Kid on top Broad Brush on bottom), Ron the Greek (A P Indy on top, Dixieland Band on the bottom), and To Honor and Serve (A P Indy on top, Deputy Minister on the bottom) - but most of all, with John Velasquez in the irons!

***WARNING - I am just picking horses by my own criteria. Do NOT place bets solely based on my choice. If you do bet, please do so responsibly. You are responsible for winning money or losing money, not me. ***

Vacation is Almost Over

My vacation is drawing to a close, and while I have enjoyed two weeks off, I find I'm looking forward to walking dogs and house-sitting again. There were a lot of things that I wish I could have done, but I didn't have the money - and it's no use crying about that - I am very content in what I did manage to do. I was able to sleep in several mornings, I spent a lot of time cuddling with my kits, I cleaned house when I felt like it, I was able to go exploring in the Rav4 several days, and I visited a state I hadn't previously seen. I also went out to supper with several friends, and I had tea yesterday with my friend Bea, and her friend Carol. It has been a relaxing and soothing time.

   I have the LSU - Texas A & M game on right now. I had looked up a few moments ago, and laughed to see Lee Corso wearing Albert the Alligator's head and holding a young albino alligator that was wearing a tiny UF Gator shirt... Apparently, he's picking Florida over the South Carolina Gamecocks today. I'm planning on seeing both of the games I just mentioned today. Tomorrow, I'll watch the Redskins at the Giants followed by the Jets at the Patriots. I'll be rooting, of course, for RGIII and Tebow.

   The Breeders Cup Racing Championships are 13 and 14 days away. They are back at Santa Anita, and the girls will race on Friday, November 2, while the boys (and any possible mixed sex races) will occur on Saturday, the 3rd. With so many great names sidelined by injury and/or retirement, I have no clear idea of the majority of the horses who will be running. I'm sure there will be several excellent races, and I hope there will be no injuries.

   My kits are currently outside - it's grey and overcast in the east, but there is a lot of blue sky behind the mountains to the west. We're supposed to have highs in the upper-60s and lower-70s until Wednesday, when the weather folks are saying we'll have a high in the mid-50s. I start caring for Aiko and Yoshi Monday afternoon, after walking the Rs in the morning. I'll miss having so much time with my kits, but then I have several weeks at home with them again, once the Shih Tzu's folks are back from their trip. Nedi was investigating a pile of empty shipping boxes (that I need to break down and place in the recycle bin) last night, and caused a huge amount of noise by toppling them all over the place, and, being empty, they bounced. Big noise; Nedi hid inside the medicine chest for a couple of hours. Lovey is brushing all over my face with her chin, body, and tail; she is completely back to normal, for which I am thankful.

   Have a great weekend!

The Klutz Strikes Again

I should be on my way to walking Rosie and Remy in north Boulder.  Instead, I'm sitting at my desk with three ice packs applied to different parts of my body...   I woke up at three this morning, and had to go to the bathroom.  I didn't turn on the lights.  Just outside the walk-in closet door, I stepped on something that was warm and furry - I immediately stepped off, afraid I had stepped on Nedi.  When I stepped off, I ran into Nedi.  This threw me off balance, and I bashed my left temple against the brick door frame.  I was trying not to make any vocal noises (to avoid scaring my neighbors), so I snorted a huge gust of air out of my nose.  For some reason, the front of my night shirt immediately felt warm and wet.  I continued to stagger, caught my right ribs on the handles of the dresser, and then fell again towards the left.  I landed on my backside, on the cold tile floor, and immediately wet myself.  It took several tries for me to arise to my feet, and each time I tried to stand, long expulsions of warm, smelly air (that whistled) came out of my backside.  I just about choked, trying not to laugh hysterically at myself.  I finally made it to a standing position, and I walked the rest of the 6 feet to the toilet.  I turned on the light, and looked about.  The item I had stepped on and thought was Nedi, was a teddy bear that Nedi likes to drag around.  Nedi and Lovey were looking at me with hugely dilated eyes from the hall.  The front of my shirt was warm and wet because my snort had blown out yellow and green snot from my infected left sinus cavity.  The bottom on the shirt was wet, because I had peed on myself when I hit the floor.  The nightshirt was rinsed out in the shower, and I took a thorough shower afterwards to clean up.  -  This morning, I have a large goose-egg on my left temple (ice pack number one); bruised right ribs (ice pack number two), and my left knee is swollen from all the twisting, turning, and banging it went through (ice pack number three).   -   Getting old and being klutzy at the same time is hell!  And, my kits are tippy-toeing around me this morning; they haven't seen me trip and fall in quite some time.

A. U. Miner underwent surgery for his broken sesamoids on Monday.  The vets say that his prognosis is good.  ...  Royal Delta, who won the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic this past Friday, was sold for $8.5 million yesterday in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale.

My Betting Today - STANK!

After the end of today's first Breeders' Cup race, I had the feeling that all of my choices would fail to win - only one won, and that was not the fantastic Zenyatta; it was the superb Goldikova. In the first race, the Juvenile Turf, one of my picks, Rough Sailing, had his hind end slip out from under him, landing heavily on his left shoulder and sliding. He sprang back up, but the motion of his forelegs did not look right to me. Luckily, his jockey Anna Napravnik was able to roll clear, as the field was due to run over that same section of track again. Anna was shaken, but not hurt. Rough Sailing was returned to his barn, where swelling was reported; X-rays showed that he had broken his left shoulder. He was euthanized. For me, that was the beginning of the end of the day. The Juvenile Turf, all two-year-old colts, was won by Pluck, a half-sister to More Than Real (both sired by More Than ready), who won yesterday's Juvenile Filly Turf. The second place finisher was Soldat, and in third was Willcox Inn. Typhoon Slew was scratched from the race in the early morning, and my other two picks finished fifth and sixth - I still grieve for Rough Sailing. In the 3/4 mile Sprint, Big Drama was the winner, with Hamazing Destiny and Smiling Tiger following. Another horse was taken by the horse ambulance off the track at the end of the Sprint - Atta Boy Roy, who finished in seventh, was pulled up quickly by jockey Calvin Borel, who said the colt had taken several bad steps on his right fore. It was decided by the vets that Atta Boy Roy had a sprain. My picks finished fifth, sixth, and ninth - so I knew I was doing a lousy job with yesterday's picks. I decided to choose one "new" horse to bet on in each race, and see how that went - the choosing being done by looking at the horses in the Post Parade. The third race of the day was the Turf Sprint, and my new pick was Central City, a Florida-bred. Chamberlain Bridge won the race, Central City was second, and Unzip Me was third. My choices from Saturday night ran in sixth, tenth, and thirteenth places. The Juvenile seemed to be wide open; I chose Uncle Mo in the paddock. I was shocked when Uncle Mo won the race. He was followed by Boys at Tosconova and Rogue Romance. There were ten runners in the race; my other picks finished seventh, ninth, and tenth. (Groan!) In the Turf Mile, I was rooting for Goldikova and Gio Ponti. Goldikova won the Turf Mile for the third straight year! She was followed home by Gio Ponti, The Usual Q T, and Paco Boy. My other picks finished fifth, seventh, and eighth. For the Dirt Mile, I chose Dakota Phone, because he seemed to be radiating - something - in the Post Parade. You could have knocked me over when he won - the biggest long-shot of the day. He was followed by Morning Line and Gayego. Cool Coal Man, a sentimental pick, finished fourth, and Mine That Bird was tenth. My other picks were in sixth, ninth, and twelfth places. (Oh, my...) The next-to-last race was on the Turf, and Workforce was scratched from the race early in the morning because the course was too hard (even though Churchill Downs had been watering the course every night to soften it up for the Europeans - especially Workforce). So only seven horses went to the post, and I picked Champ Pegasus as my new betting choice. The Turf was won by Dangerous Midge; followed by Champ Pegasus and Behkabad. My earlier choices finished fourth, sixth and seventh. Finally, there was the Classic - hopefully the crowning glory for Zenyatta... Mike Smith, Zenyatta's jockey, cried in his interview after the race, blaming himself for the mare's only loss in her career. It was one heck of a race - Zenyatta, as usual, dropped back to last, and Mike Smith began to urge her to run before she started her usual roll forward. (That's why he blames himself - he urged her before she was ready.) Blame had taken the lead, and Zenyatta zoomed up on the outside, as usual. What was not usual was that Blame's nose crossed the finish line first - he won by either a long nose, or a short head, which ever way you look at it. Fly Down finished in third. Etched finished sixth, and Espoir City (Sunday Silence's grandson) finished tenth.
After my picks for Friday had turned out so well, I thought I'd do well today.... Well, that's horse racing! Seth Hancock, who owns Blame, is already on the campaign trail to have Blame named Horse of the Year. If not Zenyatta, then I think the Horse of the Year award should go to Goldikova!
And, had anyone placed 8 $2 exacta bets, and chosen the first and second place winners of each race, their $16 in bets would have returned $1541.00...... It definitely was not me, today!

Saturday's Breeders' Cup Races

Coverage of the Breeders' Cup races will be on ABC from 1:30 through 3:30 EDT, with the rest of the coverage being carried on ESPN from 3:30 until 7 p.m. EDT. (And I'm going to turn my clocks back an hour, after the races are over, so I won't forget to do so.) Two European horses that I like might be scratched from tomorrow's races - Delegator, in the Mile Turf, has developed a quarter crack in one of his hooves; and Michael Stoute, trainer of Workforce, will decide whether he will run the Epsom Derby and Arc winner tomorrow, after he walks the turf course. So two of my probable picks possibly will not run. All of the 8 races seem to be wide open to me, and I really haven't studied up on any of the runners, except the Great Lady, Zenyatta....
So here are my picks for tomorrow's Breeders' Cup races: In the Juvenile Turf, 13 2-year-olds will carry 122 pounds each over a one mile course. In this race, I like Master of Hounds, Banned, and Rough Sailing. The Sprint has 12 entrants, who carry between 124 and 126 pounds each for three-quarters of a mile on the dirt. My choices are Riley Tucker, Wise Dan and Warrior's Reward. The Turf Sprint covers five-eighths of a mile; there are 15 horses running, each carrying 121 to 126 pounds. In this race, I like Quick Enough, Stradivinsky, and Due Date. In the Juvenile Colts, the entries dwindle to 10; all 2-year-olds carrying 122 pounds over one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. Here, I would bet on J B's Thunder, Murjan, and Jaycito. I am conflicted in my feelings about the Turf Mile - I would like for Goldikova, the mare who has won this race the last two years, to win again. I also would choose Gio Ponti as a sentimental favorite. There are 11 horses entered in this race, carrying between 123 and 126 pounds each. I also think that Court Vision, Proviso (another filly), and Delegator (if he can run with that quarter crack) will perform well. There are 13 entries in the Mile, carrying between 123 and 126 pounds each. I would like for Mine That Bird to return to his winning ways in this race - he has been winless since the 2009 Kentucky Derby, and if he doesn't finish in the top 3, he will be retired to stud after this race. I also have a sentimental favorite in Cool Coal Man. Otherwise, my choices for this race would be Mad Flatter, Vineyard Haven and Hurricane Ike. In the Turf, we drop to a low of 8 horses running, possibly 7. The horses will run one and one-half miles, and each will carry between 122 and 126 pounds. If the turf feels good to trainer Michael Stoute, and Workforce agrees, I think he'd be unbeatable. But my choices without him running are Winchester, Telling and Al Khali. The final race will be the Classic, in which 12 contenders race one and one-quarter miles on the dirt, carrying between 122 and 126 pounds each. Zenyatta, the undefeated 6-year-old mare, is seeking her 20th win before her retirement to the breeding shed. I really want her to win and retire as the best, undefeated thoroughbred mare since Kincsem, the chestnut mare born in 1874 who retired undefeated after 54 races. If Zenyatta can't, or doesn't win for any reason whatsoever, my other betting choices would be Fly Down, Etched, and Espoir City (the Japanese-bred grandson of Sunday Silence). Zenyatta will carry 123 pounds, Fly Down will carry 122, and both Etched and Espoir City will carry 126 pounds.
The Breeders' Cup races are weight for age and sex races. Females carry less weight than the boys do; and younger horses, such as 3-year-old Fly Down, carry less weight than their elders.
As with yesterday, I can't say that any of these horses will win - this is just a list of my betting choices based on the horses pedigree, the jockey and the trainer. Hope you have good luck! - And enjoy the races!

Today's Breeders' Cup Races

Well, I didn't do too poorly in today's 6 Breeders' Cup races - I chose 3 winners, 1 second-place finisher, and 5 third-place runners. Today's races at Churchill Downs were different from past years: there was a fight between jockeys in the Winner's Circle after the Marathon - and it was between jockeys on horses that ran under the finish line in the second and fourth positions. There was a claim of gross interference, which was upheld by the stewards, and the horse who actually finished in second was placed last, with the other horses being moved up one place in the finish order. And a betting favorite ran in a race when both the trainer and jockey were afraid there was "something" wrong with her, although the track veterinarians OK'd her. And the last two races of the day were run under the lights at Churchill - a very big first-time event.
In the Marathon, 5-year-old Eldaafer, a son of A.P. Indy, won the race. Prince Will I Am crossed under the line second, but was disqualified to last place for interfering with Romp and A U Miner. My picks, Gabriel's Hill and A U Miner were placed into the second and third spots. The next race was the Juvenile Filly Turf: my friend's pick, More Than Real, owned by chef Bobby Flay, won the race easily. Winter Memories finished second, and one of my picks, Kathmanblu, was placed third. Rightly So was scratched from the Filly & Mare Sprint, which was won by one of my picks, Dubai Majesty. A $2 win bet returned $19.20. The second and third place horses were Switch and Evening Jewel. In the Juvenile Fillies, Indian Gracey was scratched. Awesome Feather, one of my picks, won the race; R. Heat Lightning was second; and another of my picks, Delightful Mary, ran third. A $2 win bet returned $10.40. In the Filly & Mare Turf, Shared Account was the long-shot winner, paying $94 for a $2 win bet. My friend's pick, Midday, finished second, and Keertana, one of my picks, was third. (Red Desire, the grand daughter of Sunday Silence, was fourth.) The last race of today was the Ladies Classic, and Life at Ten was the heavy favorite in the betting. In the saddling paddock, Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Life at Ten, was concerned because she was "not acting like herself. ... It almost seemed like she'd been sedated." John Velazquez, her normal jockey, stated that she didn't "feel normal" after warming her up before the race. - To me, it looked as if she were moving very stiffly, without the usual fluidity that a thoroughbred has. - In any event, the track vets cleared her to run. She finished last, far back on the track. The winner and third place finishers were my picks, Unrivaled Belle and Havre de Grace. Blind Luck finished second. These three fillies were 10 lengths in front of the rest of their rivals - Wow! A $2 win ticket for Unrivaled Belle paid $17.
If someone had had the foresight (or fore-knowledge) of the results, and they made 6 $2 bets (which chose the correct first and second place finishers in each race), that someone would have turned $12 into $1127.40. -I wish it had been me!

Horses and Team Spirit

It was a semi-quiet day at home yesterday; CU kicked off a home game at 11:30, and they won the game by 1 point - so there were a lot of happy Buffs running around the neighborhood up until midnight. I enjoyed watching the Breeders Cup races, and had more fun making my bets - I let myself start with $30 on Friday, and only placed $2-to-win bets (in my mind). I placed 6 $2 bets on Friday, and ended up with $56.60 (which didn't include the $18 I didn't bet); yesterday, I picked 5 winners out of 8 races, made 9 $2-to-win bets, and ended up with $134.00 - which made $190.60 total. If I subtract the $30.00 I used to start with, I still "made" $160.60. - I think I still have the touch on betting my horses. The horses that I bet on and won with yesterday were: Pounced in the Colts Juvenile Turf; Dancing in Silks in the Sprint (somehow, I pick the Sprint winner each year); Vale of York in the Colts Juvenile on the dirt; Goldikova, who became a repeat winner of the Mile (on the Turf), and who challenged and again beat the boys; and Zenyatta remained undefeated and beat the boys running a mile-and-a-quarter on the dirt. It was the first time Zenyatta had raced males; it was the first time Zenyatta ran 1.25 miles in a race; for the 11th time in a row she was ridden by Mike Smith; it was the first and only time in 26 years that a girl won the Classic; and she performed her distinctive haute ecole dressage Spanish Walk in the paddock and out onto the track - she is a character! - There were two injuries in this year's Breeders Cup, where none occurred last year. Quality Road, who refused to load, and, then, once he did, imploded and freaked out in the gate stall, ended up with minor cuts and scrapes on his hind legs; he was the first "gate scratch" in Breeders Cup history. And on Friday, Lillie Langtry, the favorite in the Fillies Juvenile Turf finished an undistinguished 8th - during the race, she suffered a slab fracture in the knee of one of her forelegs. She will have a pin inserted today, and will be shipped back to England in 10 days.

I watched the Gators play last night, and was puzzled. The Gators are unbeaten and have an 18-game winning streak going. They are ranked number one in the nation, and are a shoo-in to face Alabama in the SEC Championship game. Other than a few shirtless young men, who were painted Gator blue (with orange letters spelling "Go Gators!"), the crowd at The Swamp seemed listless - as if they were at the game because it was a duty to be there - not because they were enjoying a game and enjoying cheering on their team. Even the college cheerleaders for both sides seemed as if they were just waiting to leave. It was an oddly upsetting scene. Maybe because my folks brought me up to support the team with all my heart and lungs, whether they win or lose? Or I am just dissatisfied with the "mighty Gator Nation" that seemed dissatisfied with its winning team?

Breeders Cup Weekend

I spent yesterday snuggling and loving my kits, and grieving for Hila. Today I must let Hila go and continue on with my own life. The kits are running in and out this morning - it's in the mid-40s and I have the patio door open. The kits and I swept and scrubbed down the patio yesterday, and I placed a small ceramic bowl for the squirrel peanuts outside. Gimpy's already been stuffing himself there this morning. Today I need to walk Rosie and Remy and remember to pick up my meds at the pharmacy; I'll split the rest of my time between laundry, research, and scrubbing the kitchen area. - The Breeders Cup weekend of million-dollar races starts tomorrow. If you're interested in seeing some of the best race horses in the world, you can watch 3 hours of coverage tomorrow on ESPN2 (which will cover the fillies and mares races, as well as the marathon), from 11:30 to 2:30 EST. Saturday, much of the coverage will be live, with ABC broadcasting from 9:30 to 11 a.m.; ESPN then picks up the coverage with live racing from 11:30 until 3 (again, this is EST hours). I still dislike the fact that the BC has split up the races into boys and girls days; more people will get to the track on Saturday than on Friday, and it seems to me it's a slap-in-the-face against the fillies (and the guys who run the Marathon). I think they should do what they used to do - intermingle the designated "sex and age" races with all the others, so that the girls can have a fair share of the spotlight. Of course, Zenyatta will race against the boys in the Classic on Saturday afternoon for a purse of $5 million, but the majority of races will be same sex. Perhaps that's right, and perhaps not... true, the fillies and mares carry less weight than the guys over the same course (because they are, supposedly, the weaker sex) but then you have to look at the best racing mares in history - Personal Ensign, Ruffian, Lady's Secret, Genuine Risk, and this year, Rachel Alexandra - most of them beat the boys soundly. (And I'm happy to say I saw two of the five named mares race in the BC in person....) Boys get all the glory - good stallions earn extremely high stud fees - but remember, folks, if there weren't mares around, the guys would be worthless!