Pegasus World Cup Horses - Photos

Arrogate winning today's Pegasus World Cup by 4 3/4 lengths

Arrogate and jockey Mike Smith after winning the Travers Stakes

Shaman Ghost, 2nd in the Pegasus

Neolithic, 3rd in the Pegasus

Keen Ice, 4th in the Pegasus

War Story, 5th in the Pegasus

California Chrome, under Victor Espinoza.  Chrome will be retired to stud duty

following today's race.

33rd Breeders Cup Races

I haven't been following thoroughbred racing as closely as I have in years past - but this Friday and Saturday will be the 33rd annual Breeders Cup horse racing championships, held at Santa Anita.  (I misspoke in a previous blog, saying they were running at Old Del Mar.)  The first Breeders Cup races were run in 1984, and were meant as a showcase for nominated stallions.  They are now the richest horse races in the world, barring the Dubai Cup races, and the new Pegasus race, yet to be run.
   On Friday, four Breeders Cup races will be run, beginning at 2:25 p.m. (PDT) in California.  The four races have a combined purse of five million dollars; three for one million, and one for two million.  For more comprehensive information, visit  http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/breeders-cup , scroll down to Breeders Cup Divisions, and click on the race you're interested in....
   Friday's first race is the Juvenile Turf,  run at a distance of one mile on the grass, for two-year-old colts and geldings, with a purse of $1 million.  There are 16 entries.  There are 13 colts bred in Kentucky, 1 in Ontario, 1 in France, and 1 in Great Britain.
    The Dirt Mile is the second race, one mile in length on the main track, for horses aged 3 and up, either sex, with a purse of $1 million.  There are 9 entries; 7 bred in Kentucky, 1 in Texas, and 1 in Pennsylvania.
     The third Breeders Cup race is the Juvenile Fillies Turf, for two-year-old fillies, run at a mile on the grass, with a purse of $1 million.  There are 16 entries: 1 bred in Germany, 3 in France, 3 in Ireland, 1 in Florida, and 8 Kentucky breds.
     The Distaff is the final Friday Breeders Cup race.  It is run at 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on the main track, for fillies and mares aged three and up, and has a purse of $2 million.  There are 8 entries:  1 bred in Argentina, 1 in Virginia, and 6 in Kentucky.

There are 9 Breeders Cup races on Saturday, with the first race beginning at 12:05 p.m. (PDT) at Santa Anita.  These 9 races have purses that total $21.5 million.
   The Juvenile Fillies is worth $2 million, is for 2-year-old fillies only, and is conducted at a distance of 1 and 1/16 miles (8 1/2 furlongs) on the main track.  There are 12 entries: 10 bred in Kentucky, 1 in Florida, and 1 in Maryland.
    The Fillies and Mares Turf  is for females only, aged three and up.  The race is 1 and 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) on the grass, and has a purse of $2 million.  There are 13 entries:  1 bred in Japan, 1 in China, 1 in France, 1 in Great Britain, 2 in Ireland, 1 in Pennsylvania, and 6 in Kentucky.
    The Sprint is 6 furlongs (3/4 mile) on the main track, has a purse of $1.5 million, and is open to 3-year-olds and up of either sex.  There are 9 entries: 6 bred in Kentucky, 1 in New York, 1 in Florida, and 1 in California.
    The Turf Sprint is for horses aged 3 and up, of either sex, at a distance of 6 1/2 furlongs (13/16 mile) on the grass, with a purse of $1 million.  There are 16 entries: 3 bred in Ireland, 1 in Great Britain, 1 in France, 1 in Ontario,1 in Florida, 1 in California, and 8 in Kentucky.
    The Juvenile Colts race is for 2-year-old colts and geldings, is worth $2 million in purse money, and is raced at a distance of 1 1/16 miles (8 1/2 furlongs) on the main track.  There are 11 entries: 8 bred in Kentucky, 1 in New York, 1 in Florida, and 1 in Great Britain.
    The Turf race is run at 1 1/2 miles (12 furlongs) on the grass, is for any horse aged 3 or older, and has a purse of $4 million.  There are 13 entries: 2 bred in Great Britain, 4 in Ireland, 2 in California, and 5 in Kentucky.
    The Fillies and Mares Sprint race is for female horses, ages 3 and up, has a purse worth $1 million, and covers 7 furlongs (7/8 mile) on the main track.  There are 13 entries, all North American: 1 bred in Ontario, 2 in Pennsylvania, 2 in New York, and 8 in Kentucky.
    The Mile is the penultimate Breeders Cup race.  The purse is $2 million, and the course is 1 mile, or 8 furlongs, on the turf.  It is open to any horse aged 3 and older.  There are 14 entries: 1 bred in France, 1 in Great Britain, 4 in Ireland, 1 in California, and 7 in Kentucky.
     The final, and richest race is the Classic.  The purse is $6 million, for any horse aged 3 or older, on the main track at a distance of 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs).  There are 10 entries: 7 bred in Kentucky, 1 bred in Ontario, 1 in New York, and 1 in California.  California Chrome is returning to the race, and has morning line betting odds of 1 to 1.

Horse Racing Is Getting Interesting, Again

I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed (all over again) by California Chrome's performance in the $10 million Dubai WorldCup race yesterday.  I saw it live, on a racing channel, and I wasn't sure what to expect.  I loved California Chrome two years ago when he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.  I wasn't that upset that he lost the Belmont, but his owner's hateful, hurtful, bombastic tirade after the race was over caused me to lose interest in the horse, himself.  Last year, CC's owner boasted that he'd win the Dubai World Cup race, but CC finished second.  He did not race well in England.  As a five-year-old, this year, the owner stated that the horse was "five lengths better" for the same race.  While European horses horses frequently run longer races (on the turf) than American horses, it's highly unusual to have a mile-and-a-quarter dirt race for older horses - excepting the Breeders Cup Classic.  I was very excited when California Chrome won the World Cup race yesterday by a distance of five lengths...  Not only did he run and win convincingly, he ran three and four paths out for most of the trip, and his saddle slipped backwards during the race.  Jockey Victor Espinoza made a thrilling and athletic ride on the young stallion; at the finish line, Chrome's girth was around his last rib, instead of behind his elbows...  All I can say is Wow!

The Kentucky Derby, to be run on May 7 this year, is beginning to look like a delightful free-for-all.  The three top picks are generally agreed to be Nyquist, by Uncle Mo; Songbird by Medaglia d'Oro, and Mohayman by Tapit.  Lani, another son of Tapit, won the UAE Derby earlier this week, and secured a gate position for the iconic May race at Churchill Downs.   Gun Runner was impressive winning the Louisiana Derby yesterday.  Cupid, another son of Tapit trained by Bob Baffert, won the Rebel Stakes on 19 March.  And it looks like American Pioneer will be entered in the Arkansas Derby ...   Yep, I love horse racing in the Spring!

Observations

I watched two robins attempting to chase a red-tailed hawk away from their nesting area and sighed.  One can fight to protect one's self, and one's family, but nature will run it's course, no matter how much you struggle against it.
    California Chrome, last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, is headed back to the US - without racing in Europe, or at Royal Ascot.  He did manage to finish second in the Dubai World Cup, but his around the world tour to show off his racing prowess was pretty much a dud, as he only ran in one race...
    I was admiring Kathy and Jim's back yard yesterday - and realized that it was composed, almost equally, of grass, yellow clover, and false strawberries.  It was very peaceful.  One could hear the creek running along one side of the property, birds singing, squirrels chatting, and the buzz of bees.   I also saw rabbits playing in the yard, and watched a variety of birds foraging for food.
   Somewhere, about 10 miles west of Boulder is a cabin.  A couple (and their cats) were visiting the cabin, which belongs to a friend, when they heard a cat hissing.  This is what they video-taped:  https://youtu.be/Vnmxg4h_Mio
    And, early Monday morning, Boulder's Pearl Street Mall had an unusual visitor - a young female moose decided to window shop around 2 a.m.   Police and wildlife officials "herded" her away from the downtown retail area by using bean-bag shotguns....

                               

   We have an ozone warning in place for today, which won't help my COPD any.  I'll spend today moving more of my belongings from the apartment into storage - and hope I get good news from Lumine soon.

Within The Law

California Chrome has a bruised foot and will not race at Royal Ascot tomorrow.  This was to be his first race since finishing second in the Dubai World Cup.  Will he stay in England to race?  Or will he be shipped back to the United States?
  Ahmed Zayat has said that American Pharoah will now be training for the Breeders Cup races at the end of October.  Hopefully the Triple Crown champion will get in at least three more races before his retirement to stud duty in January 2016.
   I have been watching the slow dismissal of jurors in the trial of the Aurora Theater shootings with interest.  Why do people believe that societal rules and a judge's orders do not apply to them alone?  It's like watching traffic in Boulder -  many pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers of vehicles simply do not believe that traffic laws are meant to be followed by their privileged selves.  As I was driving on a four-lane road, with 4-foot-wide bike lanes on either side, I had to pass a bicyclist "in" the bike lane.  I was in the right hand lane, with the bicyclist to my right. Another vehicle was staying beside me in the inside lane, so I couldn't move to the left.  The bicyclist was riding hands-free, on the white line that divides the bike lane from the traffic lane.  I slowed down and crept as far to the left as I could, however the car to my left was driving on the centerline, and I had another vehicle trying to drive up my tail-pipe - so I could not give the bicyclist the 3-foot clearance decreed by the law.  I passed much closer to the bicyclist, praying the whole time, that he wouldn't hit a rock or pebble, and crash into the car I was driving.  He didn't fall or weave any closer, but he did yell at me, and pound his fist along the side of the car as we/it passed him.  He had a clear, clean recently swept 4-foot-wide bike lane to make full use of.  There were no other bikes in sight.  So why ride on the painted dividing line?  Why ride, in traffic, without either (or both) hands on the handlebars?  (When I ride my bike, I ride as close to the cement curb and pavement join as possible to avoid being close to vehicular traffic, and I actually stop at Stop signs.  -  Am I really that strange?)
  I readily admit that when I'm on the highway I "go with the flow" and sometimes find myself flying along at 10 or more miles per hour above the speed limit.  I have jay walked across a street during low traffic times.  If there is absolutely no one in sight, I might slow down and roll through an intersection while on my bike.  I always yield to pedestrians.  I stop at all zebra crossings and blinking lights, if pedestrians or bicycles are present.  I believe that speed limits are posted for a good reason - traffic usage, intersections, hills and curves, and road access.
  I just can't understand deciding that rules and regulations that were designed to protect us should be totally ignored - other than an occasional red light traffic stop.  Does that mean I'm stuffy and always think within the box?  Does it mean that I believe that societal rules are good for all? Does it mean that I agree with all rules and regulations that we live with in today's world?  NO.  But I do believe that certain rules and regulations were developed and set into place to save us from ourselves, and to save us from others.  Maybe my parents were extremely good explaining things when I was a child; maybe I have a well-developed since of logical progression;  maybe I'm just a hide-bound fool.  What ever drives me, I know that I like to be within the law....

Just Stuff...

The Boulder Iron Man 70.3 was won by two athletes who are not from Colorado - which was a slight surprise.  The Iron Man consists of three separate races - a 1.2 mile swim in the Boulder Reservoir, followed by a 56 mile bike race, and then a 13.1 mile foot race.  Yesterday's winners were Callum Millwood, a New Zealand native, in 3 hours 46 minutes and 47 seconds; and Alicia Kaye, from Clermont, Florida, in 4 hours 13 minutes and 10 seconds.  I might be able to swim that distance, I could ride a bike 56 miles, and I could walk/jog 13.1 miles - but do it all in one day and in just over 4 hours ?  In no way is that possible for me....  The folks who entered and finished this competition have my admiration.
   We've had some flooding in Colorado, but nothing like the flooding in the country of Georgia - there were torrential rains in he hills above Tbilisi, the country's capitol.  A small stream that runs through the city over-flowed its banks and flooded the city.  The stream also runs through the Tbilisi Zoo, where it's reported that half of the animals are missing from their flooded and destroyed enclosures.  Reported loose in the streets of the city are lions, tigers, bears, wolves and a crocodile. A loose hippo was tranquilized in one of the main squares; a male lion was killed with a rifle.  Three zoo workers are known to be dead, and emergency workers are searching from house to house; they have already found 8 more dead, all drowned in their homes.  Most of the city is still without power, and residents are being urged to stay inside until the government issues a statement that it's safe to be on the streets again.
   Ba and Bob will return sometime this afternoon, and, if nothing crops up, I'll continue to have the use of Bob's Prius until the 24th of this month.  Ba and Bob will be leaving for California on Wednesday, and I'll be back house-sitting Cyrano and Pounce until their second return.  Having the use of their car is a wonderful gift - I can start moving a lot of my extraneous belongings into storage in preparation for my move.  Lovey just trotted inside and leaped up to the top of the cat tree; Nedi was standing on the back of the chair of the patio watching her.  They tickle my heart...
   California Chrome is set to run in the Price of Wales Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday.  His jockey will be William Buick, who rode Jack Hobbs to a second-place finish in the Epsom Derby.  The owners had hoped to have Frankie Dettori ride CC, but the Italian jockey was committed to ride another entry.  We'll see how last year's  Kentucky Derby winner does in England, racing on grass.  In the meantime, California Chrome's full sister, a two-year-old filly named Hope's Love ran in her first race yesterday.  She stumbled out of the gate, but came flying at the end of the race to finish second by a half-length.  The race was a 4.5 furlong race for maidens.  Love's Hope looks like she might have the drive and kick of her brother...

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.

Cold and California Chrome

The weather forecasters said our highest temperature yesterday would be during the hour after midnight - they were right.  My brother-in-law, Jim, didn't hear the weather report, and so he went on a ten-mile run with Tulo yesterday morning wearing his light-weight running shorts, a T-shirt and his baseball cap.  The temperature dropped 25 degrees while they were out.  Luckily, Jim had extra plastic newspaper bags to pick up dog poop in - he was able to pull them on his hands and have a little protection from the cold.  We had snow flurries throughout the late afternoon and through this morning, but nothing accumulated.   Kathy came over last night, and we watched How To Train Your Dragon while she did laundry.  She loved the film, which made me happy.
   California Chrome, after finishing third (by a neck) in the Breeders Cup Classic, tried out his racing luck, and turn of hoof, on the turf Saturday.  The Hollywood Derby has been moved to Del Mar, and has been shortened to 1 and 1/8 miles.  California Chrome won it easily, and looks to have a continuing career in grass racing...  He has now won the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Hollywood Derby.  That's four Grade 1 wins on two different surfaces.  I think he's making a case to be 3-year-old, and, perhaps, Horse of the Year.
   I've finished all but one thing for my Christmas shopping - have to head out to the used book stores for that one.  And I'm truly hoping not to receive Christmas gifts from anyone this year - I have so much more than I need of everything (except time and money), so I think I'm ahead of the game as it is.  All I want for Christmas is the safety and well being of my friends and family...  Kathy wants to put off beginning chemo-therapy until Boxing Day, but it's up to her Docs more than her.  I just want her to be well.
   Unless someone makes an unplanned trip, it looks like I'll be home until almost the end of December.  I have one house for 11 days where I visit three times a day, starting December 16; then I add Tugger on the 21st. On the 27th I pick up Maggie May, and move into Lynn Thore's on the 28th...  I believe that Rosie's folks are staying home for Christmas, but will be going away the first week of January...  We'll see.

One Week to the Breeders Cup Races!

Next week, thirteen horse races will be run on that will be worth $24.5 million at Santa Anita in California.  Four races on Friday, 31 October have purses totaling $5 million; nine races on Saturday, 1 November, have a combined purse of $19.5 million.  The NBC Sports Network will have taped coverage of Friday's races on Friday evening; they will show eight of the races live Saturday; and the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic will be shown live on regular NBC stations.  There are 201 horses pre-entered in the 13 races.  Actual entries will be known on Tuesday.
   Several top horses will not be racing this year - Beholder spiked a temperature and will not be able to defend her championship; Wise Dan was expected to run in the Mile, but he has a non-displaced cannon bone fracture, and probably won't race again until next year (the poor guy had colic surgery during the summer, then came back and won two races); some promising youngsters have been retired to stud, and, while California Chrome is scheduled to run in the Classic, it is rumored that if he doesn't win, he'll also be retired.  And, as I've stated before, I'm disappointed that the Breeders Cup stopped sponsoring the Marathon race - a race for horses that love to run longer distances and have great staying power.
  One very good piece of news is that jockey Gary Stevens will return to riding on 31 October, in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.  He'll be riding Sivoliere 14 weeks to the day of his complete knee replacement.

Missing:

Beholder

Wise Dan

Present:

California Chrome, 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner

Gary Stevens returns after a complete knee replacement

Rain Yesterday, Sunny Today

It poured yesterday afternoon in north Boulder - more than a half-inch in 30 minutes, and over an inch for the day.  I have to admit that yesterday's downpour took me back to memories of a couple of hurricanes in Florida during the 1960s...  Rosie and Boo sandwiched me, and I spent most of the evening with a hand on each dog.  I admit I turned on the gas fireplace last night, too - It was 38 degrees outside when I got up this morning.  And, with that cold coming down from the northwest, they even had to stop the "Ride the Rockies" bicycle race  because of a blizzard at Berthoud Pass yesterday afternoon...

Blizzard at Berthoud Pass yesterday afternoon  (8 June 2014)

I understand that co-owner and -breeder of California Chrome, Steve Coburn, is not backing away from his remarks on Saturday evening.  He feels that the Triple Crown championship was stolen from his horse because horses that did not run in all three Classic races finished ahead of him.  It has never been required that any of the horses entered to run in the Preakness or Belmont must also run in the Kentucky Derby - it's always been a wide-open contest at all three races in the past.  I'm sorry that Mr Coburn is so upset over his colt's loss - but all the previous Triple Crown champions have faced the same mixed bag of contenders in both the Preakness and the Belmont.  His colt came up short in the Belmont - the Triple Crown winners did not.

Today is my 58th birthday - I decided it was my "Regression Day" instead.  While my body continues to age, and to get rounder, my mind still thinks that I'm eleven or twelve - so:

Happy Regression Day, every one!!!!

Tonalist Wins Belmont Stakes

A Triple Crown championship try once again failed.  Some folks will blame the jockey, others the hyperbole of the media, and, a few, including one of California Chrome's owners, will blame the other horses entered in the race "fresh" - without running in the Derby and the Preakness. I am very sorry that California Chrome was unable to win the Belmont today - but I blame no one.
  Tonalist won the race in a battle with Commissioner by more than a nose, but less than a head.  Medal Count ran third, less than two lengths behind the first two finishers.  And California Chrome and Wicked Strong finished in a dead heat for fourth place.  It was a jockey's race - and, as soon as the race was over, some were blaming Victor Espinoza for his losing ride.  Others noted that California Chrome was behind a wall of three horses, which has not happened in his last six races....  And commentators were surprised at the sour, live, off-the-cuff interview with one of California Chrome's owners - who stated that, essentially, the race was stolen by the winning horses because they had not raced in all three Triple Crown races.  That was the shocking moment for me.  Poor sportsmanship - I know he was hurt that his colt could not win the Belmont, but there is no requirement that every horse entered in the Preakness and Belmont must have run in the Kentucky Derby...  One has to meet specific requirements to run in the Derby due to the "cachet" of being a Kentucky Derby runner - I remember the days when there were 30 or more starters in the Derby - if you could pay the entry fee, you could run, no matter if your horse had only raced in your back pasture.
  Tonalist, a son of Tapit, won the Belmont; a $2 winning bet on him paid back $20.40.  Commissioner finished in second place, and a $2 bet for place paid $23.20.  Medal Count, who had raced in the Derby, but not the Preakness, finished third; a $2 show bet paid $13.20.  (Both Tonalist and Commissioner were in their first, and only, Triple Crown race.)  A $2 perfecta bet of  Tonalist and Commissioner paid $348; while the $2 trifecta, with Medal Count, paid $6,871.
   There will be a lot of second-guessing this race - but the fact remains that California Chrome is not a Triple Crown champion.  He ran hard, but he didn't win.  A fresh horse won.  That is why the Triple Crown is such an illusive target - a Triple Crown champion must defeat all comers in 3 races of different lengths in a period of 5 weeks.  Nowadays it takes a  super horse to do that.
   The horse I worship and adore - Man o'War - did not even enter the Kentucky Derby, as his owner thought it was terrible to ask a three-year-old to run 1 and 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May.  But Man o'War had no problem winning both the Preakness and the Belmont - could he have won the Derby as well?  I'd like to think so.    -    And, *Forli, the horse whose bloodlines I love, was bred in Argentina, and never ran in the American Classic races...  but his relatives can certainly run down a race track.
  So, once again, no Triple Crown winner - but, like every thoroughbred breeder, all I can do is shrug my shoulders and quote the old adage: "Breed the best to the best and hope for the best."  - That's horse racing.

Two Doughnut Shop Visits

My sister, niece, and grandniece leave for Rapid City, South Dakota this morning - they're driving up to collect Jim and bring him home, as well as making a quick visit to see Kent, Jim's brother.  Kent is still recovering from his second brain tumor surgery at the Mayo Clinic - he traveled home in a stretcher in an ambulance, and Jim drove the family behind the carrier.  This is certainly taking a toll on the Snow family, and I feel for all of them.
   In any event, that means that I'm staying with Rosie, but am taking care of Boo, also.  Once I leave my kits this morning, I'll pick Boo up and take her to Rosie's for the rest of the weekend.  Lovey and Nedi are running in and out this morning - I've been returning home early in the morning, and letting the kits go out and play well before our neighbors' normal rising hours.  We've been having afternoon and evening thunderstorms each night, and have had plenty of tornadoes in the state, but none near us.
   The big sports question today is whether California Chrome will become the twelfth Triple Crown champion in America.  I hope that he will, but the odds are against it.  He faces ten rivals, and each trainer will give their jockey individual riding instructions.  Luckily, Belmont Park has that huge one-and-a-half-mile oval, so there won't be a bumpy sprint for the lead before the first turn, as there would be at either Churchill Downs or Pimlico.  But California Chrome is breaking from the second spot in the gate, and might be crowded toward the inside.  Then, too, this is the first, and probably only time these horses will race at this distance - American horses are bred more for speed than for stamina.  The jockeys' experience will play a large role in the race - and the horses' own breeding and training.
  And, with today's running of the Belmont Stakes, England will be watching their Epsom Derby, run at a mile-and-a-half on turf, at Epsom Downs.  There are 16 horses entered in the Derby, and the early betting favorite is a colt named Australia.
   Yesterday was National Doughnut Day.  After doing some shopping with my friend Beatrice, she suggested we stop at a doughnut shop she adores - Lamarr's.  I'd never heard of, or eaten at, a Lamarr's before, so I said OK...  We stepped into the store at 2:19 in the afternoon.  There was only one person visible behind the counter, and there were no doughnuts or food-stuffs visible.  A group of four had stepped into the shop ahead of us, two adults and two children - and I was amazed (actually, appalled) by the way the woman snarled at the people in front of us and pretty much threw a bag of doughnuts at them.  As we stepped up to the counter, the lady (?) looked at us and said, "How many of ya?"  Before we could say anything in response, such as, "We'd like to buy a dozen doughnuts," she grabbed two things that looked like apple fritters and threw them in a bag, which she tossed over the counter at us.  Be said, "We'd like to buy..." and the woman cut her off, saying, "Can't you see I'm out of everything?"  And then she started muttering about "National Doughnut Day" under her breath... She followed us to the front door and locked it behind us.  (The shop hours were posted as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.)  Needless to say, I was reeling from my huge dose of customer appreciation at Lamarr's.  We drove back to Boulder, and I parked at Dunkin' Doughnuts...  It was like walking into a stirred up anthill - but, even though were were a lot of customers in line at the counter, and lots of folks arriving and departing at the "Pick Up" counter, the 6 ladies working behind the counter were smiling and laughing, and were extremely courteous.  The shift leader's name was Sarah, and I complimented her on her service and smiles, even though it was so incredibly busy.  She was very happy with our comments....

Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Odds

The last winner of the American Triple Crown was  Florida-bred chestnut colt named Affirmed in 1978 - and he had the youngest Triple Crown winning jockey in the stirrups - Steve Cauthen. In the past 36 years, 12 horses besides California Chrome have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but no other has also won the Belmont Stakes.  I remember being amazed when Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973; I thought Seattle Slew was awesome in his win; and then (living in Florida, at the time) I was ecstatic about Affirmed.
   Saturday will be a huge test for California Chrome - he will try to become the 12th horse in history to win the American Triple Crown.  He and ten other colts will carry 126 pounds only once around the huge one-and-a-half mile track at Belmont Park.  It will be a test for Victor Espinoza, Chrome's jockey, as well.  I don't believe that Victor has ridden at Belmont before; and at most tracks, as one enters the final turn, there is about one-quarter mile left in the race - at Belmont, there is a half mile left.  A lot of jockeys without experience in the Belmont, and/or on the Belmont track, have lost the race due to misjudging the distance.  I hope this will not happen on Saturday.  Even though California Chrome is the odds-on betting favorite, at 3 to 5, I'd love to see another Triple Crown winner.
  Following are the post position numbers, the horse's name, the jockey's name, and the morning odds:
1.    Medal Count,    Robby Albarado     20 to 1
2.    California Chrome,   Victor Espinoza     3 to 5
3.    Matterhorn,     Joe Bravo     30 to 1
4.    Commanding Curve,    Shaun Bridgmohan     15 to 1
5.    Ride On Curlin,    John Velazquez     12 to 1
6.    Matuszak,    Mike Smith     30 to 1
7.    Samraat,    Jose Ortiz    20 to 1
8.    Commissioner,    Javier Castellano     20 to 1
9.    Wicked Strong,    Rajiv Maragh     6 to 1
10.  General a Rod,    Rosie Napravnik     20 to 1
11.  Tonalist,    Joel Rosario     8 to 1

More about the horses later.....

Another Four-Bed-Companions Night

Well, the storms held off last night until 8 pm, but then they certainly made the house and the sky-lights shake.  I had baked strawberry cobbler for myself and Shirley, taking it out of the oven at 5...  And the dogs were dancing with delight, believing that I would share with them.  They got a dog biscuit each.  Shirley didn't eat much of her dinner, so just before the storm system arrived, I took her a small serving of the cobbler.  She scraped her saucer clean.  This morning I heated up a much larger serving for her breakfast, and she scraped that bowl clean.  The nursing people who visit her daily say that, at her age (96), it doesn't matter what she eats - calories are calories.  So, since she likes cobblers, I'll continue making them for her while I'm there.
   I went to bed at ten, and had to clear the bed of critters three times before I could insert myself and start reading my book.  I ended up with a dog on either side of me, Tipsi at my feet, and Pounce on my chest/shoulder/neck area.  The library didn't have anything new by any of my favorite authors in, so I grabbed two new authors, and two favorite authors, who had books that I didn't recognize.  The first new authors' book was a mystery set in Paris during the Revolution (1797); I finished it yesterday evening.  I took another new mystery to bed - this one is also set in Paris, but in 1818, during the Restoration, following the downfall of Napolean.  Reading these two books, back to back, is a neat experience - I keep looking back and forth between the two, looking at forms of address (Citizen/Monsieur), and place names, which can't quite be erased and changed entirely.
   Tomorrow the Bolder Boulder will be run, and other than the Skip route, going north and south on Broadway, and a few connector buses to Denver and the Airport, the bus system will be shut down.  I'll be walking  a mile and a half to Broadway, and then walking a mile back to my apartment tomorrow.  And I told Rosie's owners that I'd walk her tomorrow, also...  Not to mention the two walks a day for Cooper and Lola.  Nicodemus, the tri-color Jack Russell terrier next to Cooper and Lola, has a new brother - a seven-year-old Jack Russell that is almost completely white.  He's a rescue dog from Iowa and was kept in a cage in a basement for his entire life.  His name is Emmitt, and he's a sweetie.
  And one of the colts that was expected to run in the Belmont Stakes, Intense Holiday, was vanned off the track after a gallop yesterday morning.  He has a condylar fracture of  a foreleg, and is expected to recover and return to racing, after the break heals.  People at Belmont Park seemed amazed that an opossum, walking across the main track, did not disturb California Chrome during his gallop.  The trainer said that they see coyotes frequently on the track in California, so the opossum wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

Lots of Things

There were 8 tornadoes reported in the Denver area yesterday afternoon and evening, not just 5; and there was a lot of wind and hail damage in the metropolitan area.  We had rain and hail fall in Boulder multiple times during the evening and over night.  It started a little after 5 p.m. and lasted until about 3 this morning - thunder, lightning, wind, rain, and hail.  Luckily, the hail I saw here was the size of, and smaller than, green peas, so it didn't do too much damage.  - In some areas of Denver, between the wind and the hail, some of the soft sidings of buildings looked as though they'd been subjected to gunfire. - I had to close my patio window and door, because the wind was blowing from the east, and the hail was hitting the concrete patio pad, and then ricocheting up to the door and window.  It was an interesting experience.
   There was a slight to-do after the Preakness was won by California Chrome, before he shipped up to Elmont, New York for the Belmont Stakes.  Having won the first two races of the Triple Crown, Art Sherman, the trainer made a comment about racing in the NYRA area.  -  Humans have been wearing "Breathe Right" nasal strips for many years now.  They keep your nasal passages open, so you aren't deprived of oxygen while sleeping or exercising.  Human athletes have been wearing nasal strips almost since the day they were introduced... - The New York Racing Association did not approve of the use of nasal strips on racing thoroughbreds when they were first introduced, saying that there had not been enough study to decide whether the nasal strips were an assistance "offering unfair advantage" to the wearer or not.  Up until Monday, NYRA had declared nasal strips illegal in racing in their state.  California Chrome wears a nasal strip.  He has used a nasal strip in his last six races, and has been undefeated in all of those races.  He has also been ridden in each of those six races by Victor Espinoza.  Any horse, at any race track in the US can (now, with the NYRA's ruling) wear a nasal strip.  Some trainers like them, some don't. In a Sports Illustrated article, a writer stated that since the NYRA has allowed nasal strips, "all of thoroughbred racing suffers from the decision."  He never wrote why, or how, thoroughbred racing suffers from the decision; nasal strips were allowed at all US tracks except in the state of New York prior to the ruling.  Is he stating that New York racing is better than any other states?  Yes, Art Sherman did hint that one of the horse's owners wouldn't be happy if they couldn't use the nasal strip.  But I don't think that would have actually stopped California Chrome's connections from trying to be the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 (Florida-bred Affirmed).  Another way to look at the nasal strip "controversy" is to realize that while the nasal strip may help hold the upper nostril passages stay wide open, all the air the horse breathes must then pass through the 'bottle neck' of the horse's trachea, leading to the lungs...  I do not believe that a nasal strip gives a horse an unusual advantage.
   We are heading for Memorial Day Weekend here in Boulder (and, yes, everywhere else in the United States)... In Boulder that means it is time for the Boulder Creek Festival and the running of the Bolder Boulder 10K road race.  Information about the Boulder Creek Festival may be found at:  http://www.bceproductions.com/boulder-creek-festival/    Festivities begin at 6 p.m. on Friday night, 24 May, with a free concert at the Central Park band shell, and will continue until after dark on Monday, 26 May.  On Monday, the Boulder street system, and a lot of the mass transit system, will be shut down for the 10K Bolder Boulder for the morning and part of the early afternoon - beware!  A map of the race course may be found at:  http://media.bolderboulder.com/BBCourseMap.pdf

 

Will California Chrome Be a Triple Crown Champion?

California Chrome won the Preakness Stakes yesterday, and has now won two of the three races that constitute America's Triple Crown.  The gleaming chestnut colt avoided trouble in the Kentucky Derby, and won by more than four lengths.  Yesterday, he faced nine other horses, and six of them hadn't raced two weeks ago.  Ride On Curlin and General a Rod had raced in the Derby, and the filly Ria Antonia had raced the day before the Derby in the Kentucky Oaks.  Race track buffs were not impressed with California Chrome's speed figures in the Derby, and felt that the fresher horses, many of them with early speed, had a good chance to defeat the Derby winner.
  California Chrome won the Preakness by one-and-a-half lengths, with Ride On Curlin in second place, six-and-a-half lengths in front of Social Invasion, who was only a head in front of General a Rod.  Ride On Curlin seemed to be making up ground, but even if the race had been the same length as the Derby, I don't think he'd have been able to pass California Chrome.  Considering the fact that the Preakness is only two weeks after the Derby, I think that the Derby contenders did very well.    California Chrome paid $3 to win; Ride On Curlin paid $5.60 to place; and Social Invasion paid $3.40 to show.  The $2 exacta pay out was $18.20; and the $2 trifecta pay out was $76.  The rest of the field finished in this order: (5th) Ring Weekend, Pablo Del Monte, Dynamic Impact, Kid Cruz, Bayern, and Ria Antonia. Reports this morning say that all of the horses are fine and have no physical problems.
  In three weeks time, the third race of the Triple Crown will be run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.  This race is one-and-a-half miles, which will probably be the longest race any of these horses will ever run in their lives.  The Triple Crown is difficult to win - precisely because of the 5 week spread and the distances the horses have to run.  The horses who win the Triple Crown have to be adaptable to different dirt courses in three states; they run 1 and 1/4 miles the first weekend of May, 1 and 3/16 miles the third weekend of May, and 1 and 1/2 miles on the three weeks later, in June.  The differences in humidity, the consistency of the track surface, the length of the races, and the travelling between states, are all very telling on each horse.
At the moment, it looks as if ten horses will run in the Belmont Stakes - and there is, again, the possibility of a Triple Crown Champion, the first since Affirmed in 1978.

California Chrome Wins Kentucky Derby

California Chrome won the Kentucky Derby very easily.  For the last furlong, his jockey, Victor Espinoza, was waving his whip in a salute to the Derby fans, while Commanding Curve was struggling to catch the winner.  Commanding Curve came from the back of the pack, a 37 to 1 long shot, and toiled to second place, a length and a half  behind the the easily galloping California Chrome.  Danza made it into third place, with Wicked Strong fourth and Samraat in fifth.  Once again, my choices fell flat.  California Chrome paid $7 for a $2 win ticket; Commanding Curve paid $31.80 for a place bet; and Danza paid $6 to show.  A $2 exacta bet of numbers 5 and 17 paid $340; while the $1 trifecta bet (5, 17, and 4) paid $3,424.60.
   I placed $30 in bets on the Derby - including a $2 place bet on Commanding Curve, and a $2 exacta with California Chrome and Commanding Curve.  I received a pay out of $371.80, so I came away with a profit of $341.80. At least, like yesterday, I wasn't in the red.
  California Chrome has (my favorite horse) *Forli in both his sire and dam's pedigrees - he is a superb looking chestnut colt and looks the part of a champion - like Man o'War.  His trainer, Art Sherman, was once the exercise rider for the 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps...  The colt is modestly bred, but he's certainly a winner.  His sire is Lucky Pulpit, a grandson of A. P. Indy; the sire's dam has Lucky Mel in her pedigree.  His dam, Love the Chase, goes back to Mr. Prospector, Danzig, and Northern Dancer.
   Commanding Curve was a betting choice for me because of his pedigree, also.  His sire is Master Command, by A. P. Indy; the sire's female line includes Secretariat and Hail to Reason.  The dam's line includes Storm Cat and Alydar.  And Commanding Curve is a good-looking bay, too.
   In the Arkansas Derby, I had chosen Danza because of his jockey, Joe Bravo, and due to his breeding.  Danza has Street Cry and Ogygian in his sire lines, and Deputy Minister and Mr. Prospector on his dam's side.
  Vicar's In Trouble was highly touted coming into the Derby, and he had red-hot jockey Rosie Napravnik; but the colt drew the first post position.  I like his breeding, and his rider.  But I didn't think he could win.  The colt had to use his speed early in the race, and was then checked by horses in front of him later.  He finished last.
  This copy-righted photo of California Chrome winning the 2014 Kentucky Derby was taken by Dylan Buell: