Courtesy of Patrick Patten

My name is Patrick, but I'm regularly known by my blog name, Handride.  I am part of a group of Bloggers, the TBA,  that formed around 3 years ago to help themselves generate readers, and to help gain more fans amongst casual watchers.  In the three years since we've climbed to over 40 blogs from Japan to New York and all places in between.  We've had a blogger at the Breeders' Cup & Kentucky Derby, in official capacity, but we've been everywhere unofficially, and that's the point of a blog.  We've got in touch with those casual watchers, we set out to find, by being casual fans ourselves.  Though we take the sport very seriously, we're just not on the inside. 

We're going to use this space to relate the story of the casual fan across the nation.  Like no two casual fans are alike, I doubt you'll see two of us cover the week in racing the same way.  Some of us will focus on the experience, the local fare, the back story, the forgotten stories, and the historical stories.  We'll highlight the great blogs we see; we'll try and be everything to everyone.  Not an easy task, but one that's worth pursuing.

Thanks for looking over here.  Check back soon for the first post out the gate.