Following the Native Dancer brouhaha begun with this article in the Wall Street Journal and continued by Eight Belles’ breakdown, a reader e-mailed this piece from the Baltimore Sun, which takes issue with the assertion that today’s horses who trace to Native Dancer are more fragile than horses from other sire lines. As someone who doesn’t know enough about breeding to do more than believe those far more informed, I was interested to read another point of view. Maese’s article is both cogent and sensible.
Playing into the confluence of Native Dancer themes, the most recent post up at the Bug Boys is about Sagamore Farm, home to Native Dancer and which was sold a year ago. The good news is that the new owner is committed to the farm’s racing history and is developing a stable of racehorses. Clicking the links within the post are well worth the time.
Cate Dolan of Backstretch Employees Service Team writes to say that there are still tickets available for Simply the BEST, honoring trainer H. Allen Jerkens and benefitting the health programs that the Backstretch Employee Service Team provides to barn area workers. Present at the event, which takes place next Wednesday, May 28th, will be the Triple Crown and Belmont Stakes trophies. More info at the BEST website.
Ryan over at Graded Stakes Blog wrote recently about the Justin Vitek Fund. This thirty-five-year-old jockey was diagnosed in February with leukemia and is currently undergoing treatment. A fund has been set up for Vitek and his four-year-old daughter; you can send contributions to:
The Justin Vitek Fund
c/o JoLynn Johnston
5394 Taylor Mill RoadTaylor Mill, KY 41015
The children of Anna House are clearly far less conflicted than some of us are about Big Brown’s possible ascension to the throne…
Brooklyn Backstretch 
The bidding for the ownership of that Big Brown Banner at the completion of its career starts now: $100.I’ve been chilling too much with IEAH–except I’d allow the banner to hang in the Anna House at least another year!!!!
>>Cate Dolan of Backstretch Employees Service Team writes to say that there are still tickets available for Simply the BEST, honoring trainer H. Allen Jerkens and benefitting the health programs that the Backstretch Employee Service Team provides to barn area workers.Jerkens uses steroids on his horses.