There's a lot more to Saturday's big three Kentucky Derby preps than who is going to win. Let's not forget the fact that they are indeed preps....
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A startling revelation and other peeks into this year's Kentucky Derby crystal ball....
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There are three ways of looking at the Florida Derby (gr. I): the best horse won, the best horse finished second, and both horses ran sensational races and established themselves as major Kentucky Derby contenders. The consensus would have to be number three....
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On several occasions over the past few years, Todd Pletcher has reached into his hat to pull out a rabbit, and in most cases the trick didn't go quite as planned. Pletcher has decided to try his luck at prestidigitation once again in Saturday's Florida Derby....
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Lost in the overwhelming spectacle of the Kentucky Derby and the arduous road leading to Churchill Downs are the little-known ironies and twists of fate that get played out behind the scenes....
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As often happens on the Kentucky Derby trail, they fell like proverbial bowling pins last weekend, although two of the bigger names reinforced their strong position. Not all the vanquished will be taken off the trail, as some deserve another chance after racing on less than desirable surfaces, but they have put themselves in a desperate situation....
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It is the second week in March, the second Future Wager is upon us, and that means the Kentucky Derby contenders are pretty well established...or are they?...
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March means many things to owners and trainers of horses on the Kentucky Derby trail. There's the nail-biting, the sleepless nights, and the early morning phone calls that every owner dreads. And for many it sadly means the end of the road....
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The following heartwarming story was sent to me by Carrie Brogden at Machmer Hall Farm in Kentucky. I am relaying just as she wrote it because it's a must for all horse lovers:
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I Want Revenge is a horse on a mission. The son of Stephen Got Even has traveled across the country to get a head start on his compatriots back home to see how he handles the dirt in the Gotham Stakes....
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Word came the other day of the passing of Phil Marino on Feb. 26. He was 59. Many people don't know who Phil Marino is, and that is a shame. ...
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The last Saturday in November is NYRA's farewell to grade I and grade II racing, with the running of the Cigar Mile (gr. I) and the grade II Remsen and Demoiselle Stakes for 2-year-olds. But last year, there was a buzz in the air that had nothing to do with any of those three races....
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Because of the lack of 3-year-old races this past weekend, we're going into full detail on Dunkirk's race. Another reason we're giving it a good deal of space is the big buzz it created....
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Although there was nothing over the weekend to knock your proverbial socks off, there were a few races that could steer you toward a horse or two as potential Derby material....
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So, 23 "elite" 3-year-olds have been chosen to make up the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager field. Well, several of those who didn't make the cut are up in arms over the selections and are offering a challenge to the so-called leading Derby contenders....
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It was an excellent weekend on the old trail, with some first-class performances, not only by the winners, but several of the losers as well....
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Because the Top 30 list took up a great deal of Monday's column, we'll go double duty this week and catch up on some updates and ramblings and look at the Risen Star Stakes....
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The first Derby Dozen comes out next week, but we'll get a jump on it with a more comprehensive look before this weekend's stakes. ...
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What do the following horses have in common? Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Spectacular Bid, Affirmed, Damascus, Buckpasser, Easy Goer, Riva Ridge, Holy Bull, Spend a Buck, and Swale?...
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Before we get to this past week's races, there is a pedigree pattern developing this year that you don't normally see to this degree....
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The Derby trail is now upon us. I've posted my first top ten list of the season -- who do you like?...
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Joe Hirsch left an indelible mark on racing and all those who knew him....
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So ends arguably the most tumultuous, controversial year in the annals of Thoroughbred racing. The sport no doubt is on the brink -- of what we don't quite know yet. But when PETA protests, congressional hearings, synthetic surface studies, steroids, and anti-horse slaughter bills, infiltrate our normally cloistered world and dim our kaleidoscope of vibrant colors you know change is in the air....
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This final blog of 2008 is to wish everyone a joyous holiday season and say thanks for all the comments over the past six months and all the words of encouragement regarding the historical pieces, most of which combined facts, anecdotes, and personal recollections of the horses and the people....
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First it was Holy Bull's rampage in 1994 and then the reign of Cigar. No chronicle of the mid-to-late '90s would be complete without recognizing Skip Away's career, which football pundits would call smash-mouth racing....
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