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Calvin Borel's unbridled joy as he paraded his 50-1 shot Mine That Bird toward the winner's circle at Churchill Downs today is the elixir that could help revive horse racing. You didn't have to wager a dime on this horse to fully share in the moment. I was also thrilled to see a son of classic winner Birdstone ...

To start, this is as tough a Derby as I have ever had to decipher, with a case to be made for at least dozen of the horses. I will break the race down in several categories and then put it all together and come up with something that resembles a wagering strategy. Read the full column here..

It seems as though it was light years ago that names like Vineyard Haven, Midshipman, Charitable Man, Old Fashioned and Square Eddie were at the top of many of our watch lists. More recently, Quality Road, who was perhaps the probable post time favorite, was at the center of everyone's attention. With none of those colts even making it to the ...

Courtesy of Becky Johnston  This 2009 Derby field with the apparent quality and then Alysheba's memorial service this week brought back a flood of memories.  Then add to that the sight of the Scharbauer colors on Silver City last Saturday in the Derby Trial, and, well, my mind fell only one way.I have a great fondness for ...

Courtesy of Rob Fundter, The Amateur Capper   AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES:  PART 2 – THE UNDERSTUDIES I'm writing this on early Tuesday a.m. Eastern.  The defection of G.1 Florida Derby winner QUALITY ROAD is known, narrowing my top prospect list from Part 1 to three:  FRIESAN FIRE, I WANT REVENGE, and PIONEEROF THE ...

The big day is almost here. No, not the Derby; having to make selections, which will be in Friday's column.  In the meantime, he are a few late odds and ends. Read the full column here.

In a big weekend for Cal-breds, two sires had a particularly good time. The blazingly fast but lightly-raced Storm Cat son Tribal Rule (TrueNicks,SRO) was represented at Hollywood Park by Rule the Storm, who took the Warren's Thoroughbreds Stakes, and by Tribal Justice, successful in the Grey Memo Stakes. In his first three crops, Tribal ...

The victory of Winter View in the Grey Goose Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) last week gives us the opportunity to give a call to a great value racehorse sire, and to note the further deeds of a family that is currently on fire. TrueNicks rated A+, Winter View is by 1995 champion 3-year-old Thunder Gulch (TrueNicks,SRO) . Now 17 years old Thunder ...

My Blood-Horse colleague David Schmitz posted an interesting look at the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I):  Kentucky Derby by the Numbers: Dosage Dilemma.  He includes a nice summation of the Dosage calculation and what it represents -- and pedigree watchers will note that Derby winners rarely stray from the ''rule'' ...

Following Monday’s flurry of workouts, it was all about I Want Revenge on Tuesday, as the likely Kentucky Derby favorite had the center stage all to himself. Read full column here.