It didn’t start well. Trying to TiVo the Oaks broadcast on Bravo and get to work on time, I was frantically scanning the listings: Where’s the horse race? Where’s the horse race? Oh, there it is… “Ladies First.” No wonder I missed it. First sentence of description: “Food, fashion and celebrities from Louisville, Ky.” Are…
We’ve finally come to the end of the line after three long months. The field for the 135th Kentucky Derby has been drawn and all that’s left is to spring the latch. I think we’ve covered the field from every standpoint possible so let’s take a look how the race might be run and then…
Now there’s a headline you thought you’d never see—and may well wish you hadn’t. For months now, Brian has been providing thoughtful, detailed, data-based analysis of the horses Derby-bound, including information on breeding, distance limitations, and surfaces. But with all due respect to him, he has left out one crucial factor: the horses’ names. So…
In the sort of cross-promotion that multi-platform media has made common, CNBC on Thursday night aired The Business of Horse Racing, a look, ostensibly, at the economic state of the industry. While money was frequently mentioned through the one hour program, the program didn’t quite live up to its name, as, much to this viewer’s…
You didn’t really think only 19 would line up, did you? Of course not! Ever the sportsman, Nick Zito threw Nowhere To Hide into the mix at the last minute and we have a full field of 20 in the starting gate. Personally, I think post positions in the Derby are highly overrated, with some…
Or maybe this would be better called, “Bad news Thursday.” Last week, regular reader Rich from Boston sent me this incredibly disturbing link to a story from ABC News, about Sheikh Mohammed’s brother, Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, who tortured a man on videotape. The tape was subsequently smuggled out of the country. From…
Our third and final installment takes a look at the remainder of the field. The Tuesday morning scratch of Square Eddie and the decision not to run Take The Points left the door open for Join In The Dance and Atomic Rain, and both should have a big impact on the race. –Brian Win Willy…
One hundred and four years ago this week, Belmont Park opened. Hailed as a track that would appeal to the general public and not simply to bettors, Belmont occasioned a week of coverage leading up its opening, the day after which the Times declared, “There has never been a more brilliant assemblage at any race…
Part two of our installment was supposed to start with Quality Road, who would have vied for favoritism on Saturday. Sadly, he was declared from the Derby Monday morning as the result of a quarter crack. Let’s continue at our look and hope we see the classy son of Elusive Quality soon. –Brian General Quarters…
When we watched the 2008 Kentucky Derby, we all wanted to know: How is Eight Belles? What happened? When we watched the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, we all wanted to know: How is Pine Island? What happened? When we saw a five-horse pile-up at Aqueduct earlier this year, we all wanted to know: How are…
Brooklyn Backstretch 