Quite the outpouring of reactions and opinions in the comments section of my Gulfstream post of a few days ago…thank goodness for a little back-up from EquiSpace and the Quinella Queen, two voices of support in a torrent of naysayers. It’s true that my current obsession with interest in racing and its history came too…
The Lane’s End Recap, by Brian Nadeau One of the problems with giving away $500,000 in graded stakes money in a Kentucky Derby prep is that the winner is automatically going to be qualified for a Derby starting berth. And that’s what we saw on Saturday in the Lane’s End, when Hold Me Back made…
In an unabashed bit of theft from the Quinella Queen…I’ve got a new crush. Timing is everything, they say, and after a relentless grey and cold winter, the last three weeks of which I have spent fending off germs of various sorts, I was ready for a little warmth and TLC. And who, most unexpectedly…
The Lane’s End – Grade II, $500,000 – Turfway Park – 1 1/8 Miles, by Brian Nadeau The Derby Trail heads to Turfway Park this weekend for the Lane’s End Stakes. With a $500,000 purse on the line, this race offers the winner an essentially guaranteed a spot in the Derby starting gate. Bittel Road…
Reviewing last weekend’s Derby preps, by Brian Nadeau We’ve all crammed for a test in our day, right? But I mean really crammed–just studied the paint off the wall, hoping to unearth that one little portion of our brain that’s going to store some information vital to a good grade. And then you take the…
Preparing for my trip to Ocala, I browsed farm information, looking for visitor-friendly sites, easy contact information, and stallions for whom, for one reason or another, I felt a particular affinity. In Journeyman Stud, I found all three. In response to my e-mail inquiry about a possible visit, I received an ebullient e-mail from Crystal…
The Rebel – Grade II – $300,000 – Oaklawn Park – 1 1/16 Miles, by Brian Nadeau Old Fashioned looks to continue his march to Churchill Downs and there doesn’t appear to be too much standing in his way. He’s imposing indeed, but maybe there’s someone out there that could pull the shocker? Let’s take…
The Tampa Bay Derby – Grade III – $300,000 – Tampa Bay Downs – 1 1/16 Miles, by Brian Nadeau While the local prep, the Grade III Sam Davis, went to the locals, the invaders look poised to take home the trophy this time. Let’s see if we can’t find a little value to spice…
The San Felipe – Grade II – $200,000 – Santa Anita – 1 1/16 Miles, by Brian Nadeau Pioneerof The Nile looks to keep pace with The Pamplemousse in the battle for favoritism for the upcoming Santa Anita Derby. He meets six relatively unproven sorts trying to latch on to the Derby Trail. Let’s take…
The Louisiana Derby – Grade II – $600,000 – Fair Grounds – 1 1/16 Miles, by Brian Nadeau In honor of next month’s Masters at August National, let’s deem this Saturday Moving Day at the racetrack. There are no fewer than four major prep races that should further clarify the Kentucky Derby picture. Let’s check…
Brooklyn Backstretch 