Saturday's Last Two Kentucky Derby Prep Races & the Fourth Foal

The Kentucky derby will be run on May 4th, but the last two prep races for the Derby will be run Saturday.  Most eyes will be on the Arkansas Derby, which will have the greatest number of points to award, but the Lexington Stakes is also interesting for horses "on the bubble" to earn a few more points.
   First, though, Somelikeithotbrown is off the Derby trail with sesamoid chips in one of his hinds.  He was holding the number 20 spot in the points race when his injury was discovered and announced.

The post position draws for both the Arkansas Derby and the Lexington Stakes were held this morning.    Following is the race information, followed by post position, the entry's name, the weight the horse will carry in pounds, and the morning line odds.
The Arkansas Derby   1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs)   Purse: $1 million
   1.   Improbable           122       8 to 5
   2.   Six Shooter           122      30 to 1
   3.   Omaha Beach       122       2 to 1
   4.   Tikhvin Flew        118       30 to 1
   5.   Laughing Fox       118       20 to 1
   6.   Gray Attempt        122       8 to 1
   7.   Galilean                 122      10 to 1
   8.   Country House      118       12 to 1
   9.   One Flew South    118       50 to 1
  10.  Jersey Agenda       118       30 to 1
  11.  Long Range Toddy   122     5 to 1

The Lexington Stakes    1 1/16 miles  (8.5 furlongs)   Purse: $220,000
   1.   Shang                     120       15 to 1
   2.   Hawaiian Noises    118       15 to 1
   3.   Sueno                     118        7 to 2
   4.   Anothertwistafate    120      8 to 5
   5.   Harvey Wallbanger  123      8 to 1
   6.   Chase the Ghost      118       20 to 1
   7.   Knicks Go               123       12 to 1
   8.   Owendale                118       20 to 1
   9.   Zenden                    118        8 to 1
  10.  Roiland                    118       12 to 1

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And I think I've twisted some tails on Chincoteague, about the ponies and pedigrees.  I really didn't mean to upset anyone on the Facebook pages....   Several people were/are very excited about "the first Misty family baby" born in the wild on Assateague.  They are referring to the fourth foal that arrived on 8 April - a very cute pinto sired by Don Leonard Stud II and out of the donated mare Winter Moon.
  Back in March of 2018, it was announced that seven Chincoteague ponies had been returned to the CVFC by an anonymous donor.  All of the press release statements included this: "All the donated ponies have the Chincoteague bloodline and three are from Misty's bloodline."  One of the ponies, a cremello stallion named Winter, did not handle the transition well and was taken back to Pennsylvania.  The others, all female, have been integrated into the herds on Assateague. People have been doing research and have found the partial pedigrees of five of the six females - and all were sired by Walnut Hill Nightwind, a direct Misty descendant.  The one mare whose pedigree has not been found is Winter Moon...
  It might be reasonable to assume that since all the other donated ponies have WH Nighwind as their sire, that he is Moon's sire also.  But it is not proven.   One lady that I hold dear, the author and Chincoteague pony owner, Lois Szymanski, stated that the CVFD says that all of those ponies are Misty descendants.  But there is no proof.  Matt DesJardins, who tracked down most of the pedigrees, says that WH Nightwind is probably the sire.
   I guess I been burned too many times making assumptions.  And, from doing human genealogy, I know that saying isn't proof.   Until I see proof, in print, that Winter Moon is a Misty descendant, I'll say she "might be," but I won't say that she is.

Today's photos of the foal born to Winter Moon and Don Leonard Stud II.

Photos copyrighted by DSC Photography  (see www.dscphotography.net  to purchase)

This and That

Right now, I'm hoping that 45's Constitutionally illegal attack against Syria does not lead to World War III.  After "yelling" on Twitter for years that the US should not become involved with Syria, and stating that Congress had to make that decision, the stupid circus peanut orders a so-called 'surgical strike' against the leader of Syria, using 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles (costing over $50 million) launched from two US Navy ships.  These were targeted at the Shayrat Airbase, where it is believed the sarin gas attacks against Syrian civilians were launched.  If I read the Constitution and understand it correctly, - specifically, Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 - it means that the US President must obtain Congressional approval before taking us to war against a sovereign nation that has not attacked the United States or its allies, and is not threatening the US or its allies.  Syria is not an ally. I personally believe that Syria is committing horrible acts against mankind - especially its own people - in this sarin gas attack; but it is not an attack against the United States and its allies.  The circus peanut has just stepped, neck deep, into a giant pile of feces.  It's getting frightening now....
    On a lighter note - deep breath, exhale mightily - The first day of the Spring Chincoteague Pony Round-Up is today - with the Saltwater Cowboys beginning the round-up of the northern herds at about 4:30 this afternoon on Assateague.  I am hopeful that the guys will also take Surfer Princess and Badabing back up to the northern herds tomorrow, so that Surfer Princess doesn't continue living as a part of her full-brother's harem.
    Tomorrow a lot of important horse races will also happen - the Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree, and a handful of  last-minute three-year-old races that will occur four weeks before the running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.  Here in the States, we'll see the Wood Memorial, the Santa Anita Derby, the Blue Grass Stakes, and on the 15th of April, the Arkansas Derby.  The grand National Steeplechase will have up to 40 entries begin the race, which covers almost 4.3 miles (4 miles, 514 yards), and includes steeplechase 30 jumps (such as Beechers Brook and The Chair).  It's an arduous course, and sometimes the jumps arrive at oddly spaced intervals.  Jockeys fall off, horses trip and fall, and sometimes horses trip and fall over other horses...  it's a great race to watch, as long as there are no injuries.

Bits And Pieces - Again

Thank goodness I'm in a much better frame of mind today than I was yesterday!   Lovey is lying on the top of the cat tree, and Nedi is sitting on the patio, watching the squirrels eat and fuss over the peanuts and walnuts.  The service dog next dog spent 15 minutes barking this morning, and then followed it up with a high-pitched howling for another 5 minutes - it was rather nerve wracking.  ...  I saw my shrink and my new case manager yesterday at Mental Health Partners.  For the first time, the psychiatrist and I seemed to be able to connect.  The case manager is allergic to cats, but loves dogs.  So we have found a "middle" ground.
  My friend, Beatrice, and I are going out to have brunch at Turley's today, after I walk Rosie and return home.  Since we won't arrive there util about 11:30, I don't know whether we'll have breakfast or lunch; but it doesn't matter, because Turley's food is always fantastically good!  And I saw two friends on the bus trip to and from MHP yesterday - my nephew's wife was on the bus on my way there, and my friend Jewel was on her way to the Pearl Street Mall as I returned.
  It is sunny this morning, but we're supposed to get more rain and/or snow tomorrow.  Once again, I can happily stay at home and read and do genealogy research.  Tomorrow will see the running of three prep races for the Kentucky Derby on May 3 - the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the Calder Derby in Florida, and the Santa Anita Derby (and Oaks, for fillies).  Next Saturday will have the running of the Blue Grass Stakes and the Arkansas Derby.  The last day of April will see the post position drawing for the Kentucky Derby entrants - then I'll need to do my pedigree searches....
   I watched Vikings last night on the History Channel.  It looks awful, written here plainly, but I enjoyed seeing the death of Lagertha's second husband.  I also enjoyed Rollo's "playing" of Jarl Borg - and Ragnar's threat of the Blood Eagle as Borg's final punishment.  And, now, I wonder about Athelstan's fate - King Ecbert has opened the doors of ancient knowledge to Athelstan;  what will the ex-monk do when Ragnar returns to Wessex?