Loving The Race Horse: Recent Comments

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, 2000-2009 (How I've faired over the years - part 4 of the series)

2010-03-16T22:33:42Z

Wow, thanks for the great recall of the Preakness trip. We should do it again this year!!! I can't let my string of 13 straight "Preaknii" end!

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, 2000-2009 (How I've faired over the years - part 4 of the series)

2010-03-13T15:43:49Z

Great read again Billy. Here's a vote for wanting to hear your picks from your blog for the rest of TC.

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, 2000-2009 (How I've faired over the years - part 4 of the series)

2010-03-13T07:08:47Z

This was the decade when I started putting my money where my mouth is....and lost my ass at every turn towards the stretch drive.

I can't claim Monarchos, but I was in NYC watching in a punk dive in downtown NYC & gave up my one opportunity to bet Monarchos when my friend's mom was going to an OTB. Very mememorable race because I was with random people & friends who savoured learning from me the lyrics to "My Old Kentucky Home" and they were cheering on ANY horse in the race, LOL! It was a round of Kentucky bourbon after that & I hope I made a few new racing (and bourbon) fans that Derby day....

I remember a lot of the decade in terms of my mother's picks, as I was embarrasingly off & my mother was notoriously on. My mother often doesn't bet because of pedigree, but rather personality. I have learned a lot from her in this regard. Mom was all over Funnycide & Smarty Jones, along with Monarchos, Giacomo, Barbaro & Mine that Bird. My mom looks for the "angle" or rather "the story" behind a horse. It defeats everything logical that I know about thoroughbreds, but sometimes it just clicks & an unlikely winner isn't so unlikely.

I had the trifecta in 2007, only because my friend & "brother" in racing, Dave, was hot on Curlin. His friend George Bolton was one of the partners on Curlin & after shutting down the bar on Oaks day into night with Dave that year, I had to throw Curlin into the mix. I still liked Hard Spun but also bet Stormello (what was I thinking?? but it was a $2 win bet, LOL!)

In 2008, I was railing against Big Brown (it's an IEAH thing, LOL!) but loved Eight Belles & Tale of Ekati. I was sad that Harlem Rocker was making a run at the Canadian races instead of the Derby.
I remember about 2 weeks before Derby seeing Cindy Jones as I was leaving Keeneland. I pulled in & parked & we talked about whether or not Eight Belles would run. We all know the result of that Derby ... I cried because I had spent time with Eight Belles & because I know Larry & Cindy Jones. What ensued afterward made me angry for months because good people in racing were under assault, by people who are crazy, by people who were not even familiar with the character of the people they were demonizing.

Billy, thank you for noting the people who sit around waiting for a drama to happen. I don't understand their interest in racing...seems that bunch all jumped on after Barbaro. Some pretending to like racing but really, they don't support the sport in any way, shape or form. They sit & wait to have a crying pity party every time a horse is injured.

ANYWAY.... Derby 2009, I had some interesting ones, but Pioneer of the Nile was one of my favourites, along with Regal Ransom, and Mr. Hot Stuff. I was so excited when I saw Pioneer of the Nile surging forward & in a mere blink of an eye, a monster came up the rail! Ack! Arggh! I had no hard feelings. Who could begrudge Calvin Borel that win?! It was equally impressive as his 2007 win aboard Street Sense

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, the 90's (How I've faired over the years - part 3 of the series)

2010-03-10T11:13:16Z

While the 90's were rough on you, Billy, they were good to me because that was when I got interested in the sport (well, it was at the very end of the decade, but whatever). I was nine years old in 1999 and that was when I happened to turn on the tv and find that the coverage of the Derby was on. At random, I picked Menifee to win, but it was Charismatic that I ended up falling in love with. I cheered him on in the rest of his bid for the Triple Crown and was heartbroken when he became injured in the Belmont. Charismatic actually stayed my favorite racehorse for years and it took a lot of doing from Cosmonaut to take over. It's still a huge goal of mine to make it to Japan and visit Charismatic at stud.

And as for my first horse that I ever picked in a race, Menifee? Yeah, I love him, too, and support him as a sire--it's always a good day when a Menifee baby wins.

So yeah, I can't complain...1999 was a good year for me.

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, the 90's (How I've faired over the years - part 3 of the series)

2010-03-09T21:16:25Z

Well this gets into the decade where I was actually at the Derby and could bet it, so who I love and did I cash a ticket become somewhat separate issues.

1990 My picks were Summer Squall and Thirty Six Red. 2nd and wherever TSR ended up.
1991 Bite me, I LOVE Strike the Gold, cashed on the 3 top finishers, made a lot that day.
1992 I honestly didn't pick a horse that year because it was the one year in the 90s I didn't go to the Derby. I had one horse, AP Indy, and he scratched raceday. So I just watched to see what would happen. I was a big fan of Pat Day, so I was happy for him.
1993 I was in love with no one that year, but was on Bullintheheather. As I was there, my friend Leslie and I saw Sea Hero come stomping and snorting into the paddock with 2 handlers, like a prize fighter on his way to the ring. So we ran and bet him. So, yeah, I cashed a ticket. I'd call that a push.
1994 This Derby was hitting me a lot like the previous one, though I had always loved Go For Gin. When the rain poured an hour before the race, I struggled with it no more. Gin was a mudder. Jackpot.
1995 This is another push. My horse was Timber Country who ran 3rd. But I did bet Thunder Gulch as well, as he went off at 25-1 or some such, he basically covered all my other bad bets.
1996 A win by default. As they still coupled entries in those days, I got Grindstone because I bet Editor's Note. I also like Prince of Thieves who ran 3rd.
1997 My horses were Silver Charm (love, love), Free House and Pulpit, so 1st, 3rd, 4th. Was very proud of my sister, who cashed her first Tri on the race. Yeah!!
1998 Was so upside down on this one. I had all the right horses in all the wrong order. My horses were Cape Town and Halory Hunter (4th and 5th) keyed over Real Quiet, Victory Gallop and Indian Charlie (1st 2nd 3rd). What saved me is I bet a bundle on Victory Gallop to place and show.
1999 My horse was Cat Thief, he ran 3rd and frustrated me pretty much his entire career. I bet him-he punks, I don't-he wins.

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, the 90's (How I've faired over the years - part 3 of the series)

2010-03-09T13:52:55Z

Nice list!
The 90s were a bit of a hiatus for me from racing; Go For Wand's death shook me so badly, I lost my avid following for a few years. But..I was definitely a Free House fan...and Real Quiet started me on the road back to my passion for racing. Well, he and his fabulous "side show" act of Baffert/Pegram, a team I adore to this day. Man, they were fun!

I remember the first time I "met" Victory Gallop at Winstar...couldn't even look at him, LOL. Not his fault of course, but it is what it is.

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, the 90's (How I've faired over the years - part 3 of the series)

2010-03-09T05:44:59Z

For what it's worth, the 90s treated me no better & we share Editor's Note as a favourite. I had Silver Charm, only because my mom had a school girl crush on Baffert & I finally relented. I don't even remember who I liked now for that Derby.

I did like Thirty Six Red, as well, and then many moons later, he would be the sire to Premium Red (thankfully TSR finally got to the barn to breed) and Premium Red foaled Premium Tap... who brought me into my first Grade 1 winner's circle.

Comment on Kentucky Derby Picks of the Past, the 80's (How I've faired over the years - part 2 of the series)

2010-03-07T16:31:51Z

I know I am getting old when I have to go back to look at Derby Charts to remember who did I like that year? Well, obviously that's for years I dod not pick the winner. I did pretty good in the 80s, but in 81 liked Flying Nashua, Tap Shoes and Cure the Blues, In 82 Air Forbes Won & Wavering Monarch, in 85 I was on Chief's Crown and Proud Truth, and I just can't talk about 1989!!

Comment on Pick an Apple - Pick a Pair (no I didn't mean Pear) - a series

2010-03-05T03:59:13Z

In the past, I tried to come up with my Derby pick early, sometimes for the future pool, sometimes just to have the bragging rights, always with an eye towards the big score.

After last year, where I got myself on Regal Ransom and refused to get off him even when the pace scenario I had projected him taking advantage of him disappeared when Join In The Dance got in the race. Mind you, my second choice, I Want Revenge, scratched out, but I'm holding off as long as I can, at least until the field is actually set.

Comment on Pick an Apple - Pick a Pair (no I didn't mean Pear) - a series

2010-03-04T15:52:21Z

Billy, never fear, I am feeling no strong love for any of the top Derby faves, or any horse. I would love to see Awesome Act do well, but it's his first start on dirt in the Gotham.
Mendip, the stablemate to Vale of York, just made an impressive run at Meydan, and Vale of York (like Regal Ransom) is one I love.

What to do?! I have no favourite yet who steals my heart, whose gutty performance blows me away. I have looked at pedigrees, hoping a favourite sire would appear & nothing yet. Maybe Mendip...this son of Harlan's Holiday who won today, could become a favourite if only he weren't prepping on a synthetic.