DraftKings and FanDuel are learning what Uber found out when the regulators went after it a few months ago.

Calling an unlicensed taxi service a ride-sharing app doesn’t make it any less of an unlicensed taxi service.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

William Shakespeare

TwinSpires Blog – Team American Pharoah earns 2015 Big Sport of Turfdom Award

Bloodhorse – Big Sport of Turfdom to American Pharoah Team

If you were wondering where the current leading jockey at Del Mar Santiago Gonzalez came from.

Bloodhorse – Jockey Gonzalez Finding Success on West Coast

Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – N.Y. to release Asmussen investigation report

Bloodhorse – Hangin With Haskin – The Real Longshot of “50-1” is I Enjoyed It

Let It Die

The 2015 CTHS Ontario Winter Mixed Sale features a Dispersal of Bear Stables Ltd.’s breeding stock.

Phil’s Comments on the Serecon Report

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Daily Fantasy Sports

NY Times – Drape – End Sought to Fantasy Sites in New York; Yahoo Is Said to Be Added to Inquiry

NY Times – Goel – Fantasy Sports Inquiry Puts Spotlight on a Success for Yahoo

ABC – Patten – FanDuel & DraftKings Denied TRO By NY Courts Over State Ban – Update

NY Times – AP – Judge Rebuffs Fantasy Sports Sites in New York

Loser

Last year people won more than one billion dollars playing poker. And casinos made twenty-seven billion just by being around those people.
Samantha Bee

Bloodhorse – Angst – Angst – Computer-Robotic Wagering (CRW)

Phil has a question:

Which benefits the thoroughbred racing industry more – making an effort to attract fans with a contest or shuttering your simulcast betting area to save money.

Bloodhorse – Angst – Riders Saez, Doyle Injured in Churchill Spill

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Smith – Female jockeys: is racing still stuck in the dark ages?

The Guardian – Genaro – Sophie Doyle flying high in America: ‘Why am I here? I’m doing a job I love’

Woodbine’s Emma-Jayne Wilson currently standing at #63 is the only female rider in the top 100 in North America.

National Post – Hamilton – Montreal, Toronto call on Liberals to put Canadian woman on country’s banknotes

Carryovers

Saturday November 21 2015

Churchill Downs
Pick 6 Jackpot    $137,674.00
Super High Five     $1,000.00
Del Mar
Pick 6    $41,443.00
Super High Five     $14,131.00
Delta Downs
Super High Five     $2,127.00
Evangeline Downs
Super High Five     $609.00
Fair Grounds
Pick 5 Jackpot    $4,873.00
Golden Gate Fields
Pick 6 Jackpot    $101,423.00
Super High Five     $15,529.00
Gulfstream Park West
Pick 6 Jackpot    $40,809.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $3,314.00
Hawthorne
Super High Five Jackpot    $93,365.00
Superfecta    $28,932.00
Pick 6 Jackpot    $4,156.00
Place Pick 8    $1,577.00
Laurel Park
Pick 6    $10,170.00
Pick 6    $10,170.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $492.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $218.00
Super High Five     $1,346.00
Los Alamitos
Pick 6    $1,899.00
Turf Paradise
Pick 6    $1,321.00
Woodbine
Super High Five Jackpot    $244,320.00
Zia Park
Super High Five     $1,055.00

Guaranteed Pools

Equibase Carryovers and Guaranteed Pools

Bloodhorse – Angst – Castellano Breaks Own Jockey Earnings Mark

Racing Post – Scargill – Espinoza among stars for jockeys’ challenge

Bloodhorse – Final Breeders’ Cup Handle Figures Down 2.4%

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Jeff Gural: HRI’s Executive of the Year

DRF – Privman – Canceled big bet at Del Mar sparks investigation

Bloodhorse – Barry – A Not So Fine Line

TwinSpires Blog – Powell – Handicapping Insights – Protecting the betting public should be a greater concern

Horse Race Insider – Jicha – Jockey appeals make a mockery of rules

TwinSpires Blog – Scully – Key performers to watch at Fair Grounds

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Fair Grounds kicks off 144th season of racing on Thursday 

Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Oaklawn Purses Drive Stall Apps Way Up

Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – Churchill’s strong Fall Meet years in making

Bloodhorse – LaMarra – KY Historical Race Handle Tops $1.2B

Lee and Shannon Hope, a father-and-son training partnership based in Victoria, have been banned from racing for three and five years respectively by the state’s regulators after they were found to have administered the banned substance cobalt to three of their horses in an attempt to improve their performance.

The Guardian – Wood – Australian trainers handed long bans for cobalt use on horses

Bloodhorse – Novak – Cigar Mile Marks Dirt Debut for Mshawish

Upcoming Stakes

Nov 20
Remington Park
Silver Goblin stake $50,000 3&up State/Prov 6.5f Dirt
Nov 21
Aqueduct
Artie Schiller stake $100,000 3&up 8f Turf
Notebook stake $100,000 2yo State/Prov 6f Dirt
Camden
Colonial Cup Steeplechase Handicap GI $100,000 4&up 22f Turf
Raymond G. Woolfe Memorial Hurdle $25,000 3yo 16f Turf
Churchill Downs
Bet On Sunshine stake #$80,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Cardinal Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 9f Turf
Charles Town
West Virginia Futurity $50,000 2yo State/Prov 7f Dirt
Delta Downs
Delta Downs Jackpot Stake GIII $1,000,000 2yo 8.5f Dirt
Delta Downs Princess GIII $400,000 2yo Fillies 8f Dirt
Delta Mile Stake (L) $250,000 3&up 8f Dirt
Louisiana Jewel $150,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 8f Dirt
Louisiana Legacy $150,000 2yo Colts & Geldings State/Prov 8f Dirt
Orleans $75,000 3yo Fillies R 7f Dirt
Sam’s Town $75,000 3yo R 7f Dirt
Treasure Chest (L) $200,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Dirt
Del Mar
Red Carpet Stake GIII $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 11f Turf
Gulfstream Park West
My Charmer GIII $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8.5f Turf
Tropical Turf Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up 8.5f Turf
Hong Kong
Bochk Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile GII $516,000 3&up 8f Turf
Bochk Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint GII $516,000 3&up 6f Turf
Longines Jockey Club Cup GII $516,000 3&up 10f Turf
Mahoning Valley Racecourse
First Lady stake $75,000 3yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Glacial Princess stake $75,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Woodbine
Glorious Song stake $125,000 2yo Fillies 7f AW

Nov 22
Aqueduct
Key Cents stake $100,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Del Mar
Cary Grant stake $100,000 3&up State/Prov 7f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Mile Championship GI $1,808,000 3&up 8f Turf
Woodbine
Kennedy Road Stake CDN-GII $200,000 3&up 6f AW
Nov 23
Japan Racing Association
Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stake GIII $580,000 2yo 9f Turf
Mahoning Valley Racecourse
Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Distaff $75,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Steel Valley Sprint $200,000 3yo 6f Dirt

Nov 25
Penn National
Blue Mountain stake $75,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Fabulous Strike (L) $200,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Swatara (L) $100,000 3&up 8.5f Dirt
Woodbine
Sir Barton stake $125,000 3&up State/Prov 8.5f AW
Zia Park
Eddy County stake $140,000 2yo State/Prov 8f Dirt
Zia Park Championship (L) $150,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Zia Park Derby $200,000 3yo 8.5f Dirt
Zia Park Distaff stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Zia Park Oaks $300,000 3yo Fillies 8.5f Dirt
Zia Park Sprint $100,000 3&up 6f Dirt

Nov 26
Aqueduct
Fall Highweight Handicap GIII $250,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Furlough stake $150,000 2yo Fillies 6f Dirt
Churchill Downs
Falls City Handicap GII $200,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 9f Dirt
River City Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up 9f Turf
Del Mar
Hollywood Turf Cup GII $250,000 3&up 12f Turf
Fair Grounds
Thanksgiving handicap $60,000 3&up 6f Dirt

Nov 27
Aqueduct
Go for Wand Handicap GIII $300,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Dirt
King’s Swan stake $150,000 2yo 6f Dirt
Churchill Downs
Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare GI $500,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Commonwealth Turf GIII $100,000 3yo 8.5f Turf
Dream Supreme stake #$80,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Del Mar
Seabiscuit Handicap GII $250,000 3&up 8.5f Turf
Remington Park
Don C. McNeill $75,000 2yo State/Prov 8f Dirt
Slide Show $75,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 8f Dirt

Nov 28
Aqueduct
Cigar Mile Handicap GI $500,000 3&up 8f Dirt
Comely Stake GIII $300,000 3yo Fillies 9f Dirt
Demoiselle Stake GII $300,000 2yo Fillies 9f Dirt
Remsen Stake GII $300,000 2yo 9f Dirt
Churchill Downs
Golden Rod Stake GII $200,000 2yo Fillies 8.5f Dirt
Kentucky Jockey Club Stake GII $200,000 2yo 8.5f Dirt
Del Mar
Hollywood Derby GI $300,000 3yo 9f Turf
Jimmy Durante Stake GIII $100,000 2yo Fillies 8f Turf
Native Diver Handicap GIII $150,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Fair Grounds
Battle of New Orleans stake $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares abt 5.5f Turf
Golden Gate Fields
Golden Gate Debutante $50,000 2yo Fillies 6f AW
Gulfstream Park West
Buffalo Man stake $75,000 2yo 6f Dirt
House Party stake $75,000 2yo Fillies 6f Dirt
Hut Hut stake $75,000 2yo Fillies 8f Dirt
Pulpit stake $75,000 2yo 8f Turf
Smooth Air stake $75,000 2yo 8f Dirt
Wait a While stake $75,000 2yo Fillies 8f Turf
Hawthorne
Blackhawk handicap $50,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap GII $250,000 3&up 10f Dirt
Pershing handicap $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai Stake GIII $580,000 2yo 10f Turf
Mahoning Valley Racecourse
Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial handicap $75,000 3&up State/Prov 9f Dirt
Turf Paradise
Queen of the Green stake $35,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Turf
Walter R. Cluer Memorial stake $35,000 3&up 8f Turf
Woodbine
Kingarvie stake $125,000 2yo State/Prov 8.5f AW
Woodbine
Ontario Lassie stake $150,000 2yo Fillies R 8.5f AW

Nov 29
Aqueduct
New York Stallion Series (Thunder Rumble Div.) $125,000 3&up R 7f Dirt
Del Mar
Cecil B. DeMille Stake GIII $100,000 2yo 8f Turf
Matriarch Stake GI $300,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Turf
Golden Gate Fields
Berkeley Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up 8.5f AW
Japan Racing Association
Japan Cup GI $5,426,000 3&up 12f Turf
Keihan Hai GIII $685,000 3&up 6f Turf
Woodbine
Display stake $125,000 2yo 8.5f AW
Valedictory Stake CDN-GIII $150,000 3&up 14f AW

Nov 30
Colonial Downs
*Buckland stake $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 5.5f Turf
*Kitten’s Joy stake $50,000 3&up 12f Turf

Dec 1
Portland Meadows
Detroit Lake handicap $9,000 g 3&up 6f Dirt
Foster Lake handicap $9,000 g 2yo 6f Dirt
Paulina Lake handicap $9,000 g 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt

ESPN – Cronley – Thank heavens

TwinSpires Blog – DeRosa – Trying To Get a Piece of Those Big Payouts at Churchill Downs 

ESPN – West – 2-year-olds look to hit Jackpot

The fascinating runner here, one we may or may not bet but certainly will root for, is Memories of Winter, a winner of both lifetime starts at disparate venues, his latest at one mile while earning an excellent PER. But it’s the connections who intrigue most.

New handicappers may not recognize Anthony Margotta Jr. but the trainer won the Whitney Stakes 22 years ago with Brunswick, beneath an up-and-coming riding star named Mike Smith. Margotta has done excellent work this year with a handful of young stock.

And today’s rider is Pat Valenzuela, who’s won the Derby and Preakness with Sunday Silence, about a half-dozen Breeders’ Cup races and nearly every major event in Southern California.

P Val’s cocaine addiction has been well documented and he’s made many unsuccessful comebacks in the past. Hopefully the 53-year-old jockey now has his demons under control and will have a fine stand at the upcoming Fair Grounds meet.

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Thinking Upset in First Kentucky Prep and Other Featured Thoughts

Please Call Me Baby

Bloodhorse – Johnson – The Derby Trail Continues at Delta Downs

Bloodhorse – LaMarra – ‘Jackpot’ Comes of Age for Delta Downs

DRF – Jerardi: Exaggerator faces 3 intriguing rivals in Delta Jackpot

Bloodhorse – Lamarra – Exaggerator Morning-Line Choice for Jackpot

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Exaggerator favored to rebound in $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot

Louisville Courier-Journal – Entries, odds | Delta Jackpot on Derby trail

Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – Whitmore carries big name into Delta Jackpot

DRF – Rampellini – New owner high on Whitmore ahead of Delta Downs Jackpot

Patrick Valenzuela returns to riding at Delta Downs on November 19, 2015  and picks up the mount on Memories of Winter in the $1,000,000.00 Delta Downs Jackpot GIII on Saturday, November 21, 2015.

Lady and the Track – Macatangay – Memories of Winter and Patrick Valenzuela in Delta Downs Jackpot

Bloodhorse – ‘Win and You’re In’ Races Added at Laurel

2016 Road to the Kentucky Derby

The 142nd running of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) will be run Saturday, May 7, 2016, and for the fourth consecutive year, a tiered point system in select races will determine who qualifies to America’s greatest race.
Race    Track    Date    Points
Delta Downs Jackpot Delta Downs Nov 21, 2015 10-4-2-1
Remsen Aqueduct Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Kentucky Jockey Club Churchill Downs Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Los Alamitos Futurity Los Alamitos Race Course Dec 19, 2015 10-4-2-1
Jerome Aqueduct Jan 9, 2016 10-4-2-1
Sham Santa Anita Park Jan 16, 2016 10-4-2-1
Smarty Jones Oaklawn Park Jan 18, 2016 10-4-2-1
Holy Bull Gulfstream Park Jan 30, 2016 10-4-2-1
Withers Aqueduct Feb 13, 2016 10-4-2-1
Robert B. Lewis Santa Anita Park Feb 13, 2016 10-4-2-1
Southwest Oaklawn Park Feb 15, 2016 10-4-2-1
El Camino Real Derby Golden Gate Fields Feb 20, 2016 10-4-2-1
Fountain of Youth Gulfstream Park Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Risen Star Fair Grounds Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Gotham Aqueduct Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
Tampa Bay Derby Tampa Bay Downs Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
San Felipe Santa Anita Park Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
Rebel Oaklawn Park Mar 19, 2016 50-20-10-5
Sunland Derby Sunland Park Mar 20, 2016 50-20-10-5
Spiral Turfway Park Mar 26, 2016 50-20-10-5
UAE Derby Meydan Racecourse Mar 26, 2016 100-40-20-10
Florida Derby Gulfstream Park Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Louisiana Derby Fair Grounds Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Wood Memorial Aqueduct Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Blue Grass Keeneland Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Santa Anita Derby Santa Anita Park Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Arkansas Derby Oaklawn Park Apr 16, 2016 100-40-20-10
Lexington Keeneland Apr 16, 2016 10-4-2-1

Lady and the Track – Hammer – Kentucky Oaks Road Continues with Delta Downs Princess 

Bloodhorse – Novak – La Appassionata Heads Delta Downs Princess

2016 Road to the Kentucky Oaks

Race    Track    Date      Points
Delta Downs Princess    Delta Downs Nov 21, 2015 10-4-2-1
Demoiselle    Aqueduct Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Golden Rod    Churchill Downs Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Starlet    Los Alamitos Race Course Dec 12, 2015 10-4-2-1
Santa Ynez    Santa Anita Park Jan 9, 2016 10-4-2-1
Busanda    Aqueduct Jan 16, 2016 10-4-2-1
Silverbulletday    Fair Grounds Jan 23, 2016 10-4-2-1
Forward Gal    Gulfstream Park Jan 30, 2016 10-4-2-1
Martha Washington    Oaklawn Park Feb 6, 2016 10-4-2-1
Las Virgenes    Santa Anita Park Feb 6, 2016 10-4-2-1
UAE Oaks    Meydan Racecourse Feb 25, 2016 50-20-10-5
Busher    Aqueduct Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Davona Dale    Gulfstream Park Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Rachel Alexandra   Fair Grounds Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Santa Ysabel    Santa Anita Park Mar 5, 2016 50-20-10-5
Honeybee    Oaklawn Park Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
Sunland Park Oaks    Sunland Park Mar 20, 2016 50-20-10-5
Bourbonette Oaks    Turfway Park Mar 26, 2016 50-20-10-5
Gulfstream Park Oaks    Gulfstream Park Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Fair Grounds Oaks    Fair Grounds Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Santa Anita Oaks    Santa Anita Park Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Gazelle    Aqueduct Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Ashland   Keeneland Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Fantasy    Oaklawn Park Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Beaumont    Keeneland Apr 17, 2016 10-4-2-1

TwinSpires Blog – Mucciolo – Toews on Ice makes it three straight in game fashion, speed plays well on both ovals at Del Mar

DRF – Jerardi: A mortal Beyer lock pays off at 110-1

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Johnson – Mark Casse: the key factors that make our training operation so strong

DRF – Hovdey: Adding a little blanc et bleu to the Red Carpet

Bloodhorse – Shulman – Bobby’s Kitten Readied for European Campaign

Bloodhorse – Award Will Recognize New Owner of the Year

Phil has a question:

Has the Hastings Park Racing Club been nominated yet.

From the Derby Bar and Grill Newsletter

RAILBIRD NOTES

BY GLEN TODD

HASTINGS NEWS BY GREG DOUGLAS

Bloodhorse – Big Week for Penn Gaming Racing Challenge

Bloodhorse – Mitchell – Runhappy Back on Work Tab; Malibu Next

Bitch

Lady and the Track – Hammer – Shotgun Kowboy Heads to Churchill Downs for Clark Handicap

TwinSpires Blog – TURF TALK: No Eclipse Implications in Clark Despite Weak Older Male Division

Bloodhorse – Mitchell – Lochte Seeks to Keep Win Streak Alive

October / Breeders Cup Newsletter

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Why Stellar Wind will get my vote for three-year-old filly champion

Bloodhorse – Munnings Painting Tops Sporting Art Auction

Bloodhorse – Angst – Zoffany Colt Leads Way at Day Four Goffs

Bloodhorse – Angst – Lope de Vega Colt Highlights Goffs Session

To book a great ASD time, call Samantha at 204-885-3330 ext. 0!
Sam with New Year’s Eve tickets	ASD‘s receptionist will . . . • Book your prime rib buffet tonight which includes the popular pasta bar • Book other Thursday buffets including SPECIAL TURKEY-ENHANCED buffets on Dec. 10 and 17 • Book your tickets for the FABulous New Year’s Eve Gala ($49.95) hosted by FAB 94s Alix Michaels

	DO THE DOWNS Carryovers
Click for schedule		Popular pasta bar tonight
CLICK HERE TO ENLARGE

Official stations of horse racing. Click to listen

Business people generally shy from controversy, especially the negative kind.  But Houston furniture chain owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale has put himself in the eye of a storm

Maria Borell (with Sunday Silence tattoo on her back) gets support

since he fired trainer Maria Borell, the trainer of Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Runhappy, the day after the win without paying her any commission on the horse’s big win of the $1.5 million race.

Manitoba Jockey Club vice-president Sharon Gulyas shares in an important part of the Jewish burial tradition

On a fittingly mild Sunday afternoon a horseplayer widely known simply as “The Russian” (inset above) was laid to rest at Shaarey Zedek cemetary across from Kildonan Park at the age of 79, leaving a gaping hole in the racing landscape at Assiniboia Downs.  The Russian, Sammy Vizhgorodsky, wasn’t just a player, he was an institution since immigrating to Winnipeg in the 1980s. Who could forget his raspy accented voice proclaiming “there should be an investigation” if a horse he loved didn’t win.  “Call in the RCMP,” he would say if his horse lost.

Patrick Valenzuela Watch him at Delta

P VAL IS BACK; WILL HE RIDE TONIGHT?  Patrick Valenzuela, a very talented jockey with a checkered past, is making a comeback which could start as early as tonight if either of the horses he is named to ride (race 7 and 10) make it in from the also-eligible list.  He hasn’t ridden since Jan. 20, 2014.  If he doesn’t ride tonight, he should be riding in tomorrow’s first race and has a mount in Saturday’s $1 million Delta Jackpot.  Drug use has haunted his past.  In 2004, he even shaved every hair from his body so none could be plucked to be analyzed for drug content.  Watch out when P Val is riding a horse with early speed.

Where are they now? by Rob MacLennan

Witt Six to race in Zia Park Derby next Wednesday As the first snows approach, we now think more and more of summer warmth, especially of our local connections that are racing south of the border and to the east. WOODBINE:  Murray Duncan had Wild N’Crazy in on Sunday and he ran a good third in a tough race at Woodbine. The lone upcoming entrant for Duncan is Sugah Sweet in the first race this Friday. Also at Woodbine Jodi Radul has Sunny Weather with jockey Chris Husbands in the ninth race on Friday. DELTA:  Moving south, trainer Jerry Gourneau has two entrants this week at Delta Downs in Vinton, LA:  FP Silent Eyes on Friday in the seventh race and Sierra Delta in the ninth Witt Six (outside of Flashy Jewel) to race in Zia Derby race Sam’s Town Stakes on the undercard of Delta Jackpot day. My pick for the Delta Jackpot (seventh race) is Found Money for California-based trainer Doug O’Neill who has been red hot as of late and ships in to try to win a race he has won before with Goldencents. WITT SIX IN ZIA PARK DERBY:  Jerry also has Manitoba and Canadian Derby runner-up Witt Six in the $250,000 Zia Park Derby next Wednesday. The race came up tough with Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s International Star leading the field. The whole Zia card is filled with stakes and high quality racing. TURF PARADISE:  At Turf Paradise the Brown and Schnell barns continue to be active. Jared Brown has three horses this Saturday: Bosque Angel in the sixth, Many Routes in the seventh and Dotted Princess in the eighth. Sounds like an easy pick-3, doesn’t it? The Brown barn is expanding with three recent claims including the fast mare Woodlandsway, the talented 3-year-old Believe Too who was actually nominated to the 2015 Golden Boy Stakes by the Robertino Diodoro barn and the hard-knocking bottom claimer Indy Racer. Don Schnell continues his good start at Turf Paradise. Idling ran another second in a $6,250 claimer on the grass. Three more horses ran yesterday and you can check out their results on Equibase: I Am Awesome, Runaway Cal and the Winnipeg Futurity winner Heber.

HISTORY ON THE HOOF: The best of Bob Did you know . . .  Wendell Holmes Mustard had one of, if not the longest consecutive careers as an owner/trainer at local race tracks–from 1951 at old Polo Park to the time of his death in 1980 at Assiniboia Downs?  Read “A kind man and the horses knew it” here.

NEXT INSIDER:  Next Thursday morning–Thanksgiving in the U.S.–which kicks off three days of great stakes action including the grade 1 $500,000 Cigar Mile and the $300,000 Remsen Kentucky-Derby prep race at Aqueduct on Saturday.  Plus classy turf stakes at Del Mar. First post a week from today: 10 a.m.

Bloodhorse – Mitchell – Departing Standout on Delta Downs Undercard

Bloodhorse – Balan – Elektrum Brings Class to Red Carpet ‘Cap

Lady and the Track – Ward – 50th Running of Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday

Bloodhorse -Cardinal: Button Down Favored Over Kiss Moon

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Button Down, Kiss Moon among top threats in Cardinal

TwinSpires Blog – Caldwell – Gulfstream Park plays host to pair of 1 1/16-mile turf Grade 3s

Bloodhorse – Angst – Sandiva Returns in My Charmer Handicap

Bloodhorse – Calgary Cat Set for Kennedy Road Defense

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Bob Le Beau, Dawalan vie for jump title in Colonial Cup

Racing Post – Burn – Vautour scares off rivals on return to action

Bloodhorse – Kieckhefer –  IRB Member Pulls Slaughter Rule, Resigns

Bloodhorse – Angst – Victory Haven Closing, May Not Reopen

Yahoo News – Schelzig and Colvin – Trump says he has an instinct for sensing threats

Phil has a question:

Would this comment not have more credence if Trump had warned the US before the 9 – 11 attacks and warned France before the recent attacks.

I always avoid prophesying beforehand, because it is a much better policy to prophesy after the event has already taken place.

Winston Churchill

Garden and Gun – Portman – Dipping into a Fried Chicken Tradition

Dixie Chicken

I suspect this super-sizing of barbecue is related to a larger backlash against the constant nutritional scolding against fats and meat we’ve been hearing for decades now. If a 4 ounce patty on a burger is tasty, why not bump it up to half pound or more? And instead of topping it with just three strips of bacon, let’s pile on nine! If a pile of sliced brisket with the fat cap still on seems indulgent, why not kick it up one more notch with a massive prime-grade beef rib glistening with fat, a big Flintstone-style bone still attached?

Southern Living – Moss – Is Barbecue Getting Super-Sized?

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

NY Times – Asimov – Fret-Free Wine Options for Thanksgiving

Southern Living – Chocolate Pilgrim Hats for Thanksgiving

Phil’s Drink and a Flick

Evil Tongue

Evil Roy Slade

Desperado

LA Times – Dwyre – Oscar De La Hoya is working to help save boxing from a TKO

NY Times – Haberman – Boxing Is a Brutal, Fading Sport. Could Football Be Next?

NY Times – Mather – Stunning Upset of U.F.C. Champion Ronda Rousey Leaves Her Future Up in the Air

LA Times – Weisberg – SeaWorld hopes to reverse sagging fortunes by building own San Diego hotel

National Post – Benaroia – Grab your pencil crayons and head to Whitehaus, where empty spaces await some colour

Misunderstood 

Forever Young

Phil M Stockmen