How am I supposed to know my Derby horse when they don’t show up under silks? Nowadays we have to base our opinions not on how these horses run in races but by how they look when we watch their workouts on social media. As the old ad goes, that’s no way to run an airline.

Bloodhorse – Don’t Ask – By Lenny Shulman

Sal says that it’s no wonder that horse racing is losing its audience.

Bloodhorse – Wincze-Hughes – McCraken Resumes Galloping, Blue Grass Still the Target

Paulick Report – On Track For Blue Grass: Wilkes ‘Very Pleased’ With McCraken’s Progress

TwinSpires Blog – Scully – Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report March 7: Gunnevera, J Boys Echo earn big numbers as favorites tumble

Paulick Report – Shirreffs On Gormley, Royal Mo: ‘It’s The Competition That Gets The Horses Better’

Paulick Report – No Dozing Will Try To Make Amends In Tampa Bay Derby

This is Horse Racing – Joe Clancy – It’s Your Nickel scores for breeder Wigmore

Paulick Report – Three Rules ‘Ran A Very Good Race’ In Fountain Of Youth, Points To Preakness

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Weekend’s Past and Prologue

Indiana’s rule is titled Effect of suspension – Trainers and reads as follows:

The horse(s) of a trainer suspended for more than fifteen (15) days in Indiana shall not be transferred to a spouse, member of the immediate family, assistant, employee, or household member of the trainer.

(b) The horse(s) of a trainer suspended in another jurisdiction, may, at the discretion of the executive director, judges, or stewards, be placed on the judge’s/steward’s list and be ineligible to compete in Indiana if such horse(s) is trained by a licensee that is a spouse, member of the immediate family, business associate, assistant, employee, or household member of the suspended trainer.

(c) The executive director, judges, or stewards may require a horse(s) previously trained by a suspended trainer, a horse owned by a person employing a suspended trainer, and/or a horse owned by a person who employed the trainer at the time of suspension to be stabled on the grounds of the association.

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Gorajec – Racing’s integrity? Some officials just don’t give a damn

Paulick Report – Paulick – Pennsylvania: The FBI Agent And The Trainer

martedi 7 marzo

ESPN – DRF – Fortuna – No Dozing, Pletcher pair among Tampa Bay Derby contenders

Brisnet – Hansen – Blue Grass shaping up to be most interesting of Kentucky Derby preps

TwinSpires Blog – Mucciolo’s Sophomore Spotlight Recap: Fountain of Youth, Gotham & John Battaglia Memorial

TDN – Caulfield – Pedigree Insights: J Boys Echo

Bloodhorse – Angst – The Road: Planning, Adjustments Work Well for Girvin

TDN – Hamelback and – Barker – An Open Letter to the Industry on Environmental Contamination

Bloodhorse – Angst – Language in Florida Bill Would Prohibit ADW Wagering

DRF – Hegarty – Florida gambling bill spurs debate on ADW regulations

TDN – Finley – Ramsey Falls Short in Bid for Third Barbados Gold Cup

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Irwin – The day a colt supplemented for $40,000 yet scorned by the experts won the Big Cap at 50-1

lunedi 6 marzo

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Shields – Dandelion leaves and Derby preps: that’s life with John Shirreffs for two live Kentucky hopes

Bloodhorse – Wincze-Hughes – Classic Empire Still Targeting Blue Grass Stakes

Paulick Report – Casse: Classic Empire ‘A Work In Progress,’ But Don’t Count Him Out Just Yet

Bloodhorse – Haskin – Darby Dan Back on the Derby Trail

Paulick Report – Irish War Cry ‘A Real Head-Scratcher’ In Fountain Of Youth Disappointment

TDN – J Boys Echo Heads South after Gotham Win

domenica 5 marzo

Sal says il nove capisce il motivo per cui Sal inizia ora.

The Richard Riot

One after 909

The main difference between a cat and a lie is that a cat only has nine lives.

Mark Twain

Il nove e altri

Sal needs your Social Media Support for a Web Series being submitted for funding through the highly competitive IPF, which takes online views and follows into consideration for the grant.

The series called TIGHT KNIT is about two half sisters who must learn to work together upon inheriting their late Grandmother’s knitting store whose radically different viewpoints are stuffed in a really pretty cheerful box!

Sal says to watch the trailer! (liking & comments encouraged!)

LINK TO TRAILER

If you have more than a moment, please follow on Instagram & Twitter!

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

Anything you can do to help would be appreciated. Sal won’t even ask for a shoebox full of folding money.

Feel free to share the link.

Thanks so much, we’d love to get the funding to create more episodes!!

ESPN – America’s Best Racing – Hill – Remembering Runyonesque author Jay Cronley

Their scrambled attention spans struck me as a metaphor for the way we get our doses of reality these days.

Bill Griffith

Paulick Report – Pick Five Carryover Of $335,216 Sunday At Santa Anita

2017 Kentucky Derby Prep Races

Tampa Bay Derby	Tampa Bay Downs	Mar 11, 2017	50-20-10-5
San Felipe	Santa Anita Park	Mar 11, 2017	50-20-10-5
Rebel	Oaklawn Park	Mar 18, 2017	50-20-10-5
UAE Derby	Meydan Racecourse	Mar 25, 2017	100-40-20-10
Spiral	Turfway Park	Mar 25, 2017	50-20-10-5
Sunland Derby	Sunland Park	Mar 26, 2017	50-20-10-5
Florida Derby	Gulfstream Park	Apr 1, 2017	100-40-20-10
Louisiana Derby	Fair Grounds	Apr 1, 2017	100-40-20-10
Wood Memorial	Aqueduct	Apr 8, 2017	100-40-20-10
Blue Grass	Keeneland	Apr 8, 2017	100-40-20-10
Santa Anita Derby	Santa Anita Park	Apr 8, 2017	100-40-20-10
Arkansas Derby	Oaklawn Park	Apr 15, 2017	100-40-20-10
Lexington	Keeneland	Apr 15, 2017	10-4-2-1

2017 Road to the Kentucky Oaks

Honeybee	Oaklawn Park	Mar 11, 2017	50-20-10-5
Bourbonette Oaks	Turfway Park	Mar 25, 2017	50-20-10-5
Sunland Park Oaks	Sunland Park	Mar 26, 2017	50-20-10-5
Gulfstream Park Oaks	Gulfstream Park	Apr 1, 2017	100-40-20-10
Fair Grounds Oaks	Fair Grounds	Apr 1, 2017	100-40-20-10
Ashland	Keeneland	Apr 8, 2017	100-40-20-10
Santa Anita Oaks	Santa Anita Park	Apr 8, 2017	100-40-20-10
Gazelle	Aqueduct	Apr 8, 2017	100-40-20-10
Fantasy	Oaklawn Park	Apr 14, 2017	100-40-20-10
Beaumont	Keeneland	Apr 16, 2017	10-4-2-1

Honey Bee

ESPN – Medcalf – How to watch, what to watch, who to watch and what to say in March

FiveThirtyEight – Sabin – On The NCAA Bubble? Here’s The Number To Watch

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.

Winston Churchill

Louisville Courier-Journal – Frakes – Injured McCraken to skip Tampa Bay Derby

On first blush Sal was disappointed that the link to Gamma Ray Singh was receiving more activity than any other link in recent posts, but upon reflection Sal surmises that the HolyBull reading thoroughbred aficionados with their superior intellects and sophisticated tastes would have no knowledge of Gamma Ray Singh and thus have to click on the link to satisfy their quest for knowledge.

Man on a Mission

Our border patrol does a great job under these very dangerous conditions. They use very sophisticated equipment, including gamma rays, to detect drugs and illegal immigrants as they enter the U.S.
Timothy Murphy

Bloodhorse – Novak – Derby Hopeful Beasley Brings Back Memories

Texas

The tax code is now nine times longer than the Bible, and not nearly as interesting.

Rob Portman

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Smith and Willoughby – Who’s the world’s #1 Italian-born jockey? (Clue: it’s not Frankie Dettori)

LA Times – Plaschke – In stopping her brothers’ attempted takeover, Jeanie Buss shows she’s in charge of Lakers — for now

Paulick Report – ‘This Game Ain’t Easy’: Classic Empire’s Training Session Ends Abruptly; Colt Shows Discomfort In Back

ESPN – DRF – Privman – Classic Empire has training session cut short

The Meadville Tribune – Lawmakers call for new scrutiny of horse racing subsidies

Standardbred Canada – Sutherland To Drive Standardbreds

Head Like a Hole

Every time a bit of information is erased, we know it doesn’t disappear. It goes out into the environment. It may be horribly scrambled and confused, but it never really gets lost. It’s just converted into a different form.

Leonard Susskind

Bloodhorse – Wincze-Hughes – Gunnevera Comes From Clouds in Fountain of Youth

ESPN – DRF – Privman – Gunnevera bides his time en route to Fountain of Youth win

We have only two more weeks of penultimate Kentucky Derby preps before the final round of preps begin, yet the Derby picture seems even more unclear than usual, which says a lot. Issues involving McCraken and Classic Empire have certainly helped to muddy the waters.

But in a greater sense, with one prep after another won by perfect-trip winners, it makes it guesswork identifying which Derby candidates might have what it takes to get it done when circumstances aren’t so favorable.

DRF – Watchmaker: Gunnevera’s win needs some perspective

US Racing – Stettin – The 2017 Fountain of Youth Stakes: One Race, Three Moves

TDN – Gunnevera ‘Dials’ It Up a Notch in FOY

Bloodhorse – Novak – J Boys Echo Blitzes to Gotham Score

ESPN – DRF – Grening – J Boys Echo capitalizes on great setup to win Gotham Stakes

US Racing – Ransom – J Boys Echo Wins First Stakes in Gotham

TwinSpires Blog – Genaro – J Boys Echo’s, Romans’ feet are in New York, but mind are on Kentucky

TDN – Mineshaft ‘TDN Rising Star’ Upsets Gotham Emphatically

Going, Going, Gone

US Racing – Ranson – The Best Still in West as Unique Bella Wins Again

Bloodhorse – Balan – Unique Bella Game in Santa Ysabel Win

TDN – Another ‘Unique’ Performance

Paulick Report – Miss Sky Warrior Makes It Four Straight In Davona Dale

Turfway Park – IT’S YOUR NICKEL TAKES BATTAGLIA MEMORIAL AT TURFWAY PARK

DRF – King – It’s Your Nickel much the best in John Battaglia

Bloodhorse – Shea – Heart to Heart Wires Canadian Turf

ESPN – DRF – Welsch – Heart to Heart gets repeat win in Canadian Turf

The Globe and Mail – Saunders – What if Europe’s elections aren’t about angry intolerance?

Dumb Things

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Willoughby – Girvin is improving, but it’s a big step up to contend at Churchill Downs

Sal says to keep your eyes on Charles Fipke’s maiden Bee Jersey who may just win enough points in the UAE Derby to sneak into the Kentucky Derby as a maiden.

Knocking At Your Back Door

Hawthorne Sal

2 Responses to “Sal’s Countdown to the 2017 Kentucky Derby – Nove”

Mucka Singh says:

March 6, 2017 at 11:23 am

HRA MODERNIZATION PLAN IN THE WORKS?

UNDERTAKER after 6 month rest posts about the modernization of the backstretch services, how about reviewing the entire HRA governance model!!

HRA posts 2017 TB#2 ruling from a race june 27/2015 over 20 months ago, as the tribunal rejects the appeal. Was the film lost, since DNA and urine samples weren’t involved, that’s progress at a snail pace for a self regulated industry that should be rebranded as NAC / NOT A CLUE!!!

HRA submitted a 3 year business plan in OCTOBER 2015 has any seen it or did the government file it under embellishment of figures, it’s worst than some of GAMMA RAY SINGH’S wresting match defeats!
Mucka Singh says:

March 5, 2017 at 9:02 am

NORTHLANDS DIRECTOR OF RACING & GAMING MAKES A STATEMENT

STARSKY responds in a quick and professional fashion to MUCKA about another malfunction at the junction that on TUESDAY they will finally update their website providing the 2017 Northlands live thoroughbred calendar. The marketing department has been notified, since Jason (the undertaker jr.) is rumoured to be doing hotshot trucking jobs or helping in their food truck venture?

NORTHLANDS PARK is rumoured to have leveled/tampered red clay all outside stalls and done repairs to boards, drains, leaks / electrical problems areas, tomorrow’s move in should have no surprises, however please make a duplicate list of any problems to be put in the binder for the HBPA workplace safety rep!!

NORTHLANDS PARK seeks a temporary production designer for a month for K days/ Casino & Racing for a creative, graphic design and production of print/advertising materials to assist objectives of marketing team, that still hasn’t update live race calendar for the dwindling loyal racing patrons!!!

SONIC BOOM / BORDEN PARK cancelled for 2017, this sure removes credibility to the VISION 2020 pipe dream of a racetrack festival venue generating mega bucks for Northlands.

FIRESIDE/CON retires business recently, a hot rumour is that he is trading in skillets for bandages and is seeking his assistant trainer’s license in a small race stable, perhaps Nicky or Pinky for a landing spot.

NORTHLANDS lost derby concert is picked up by WOODBINE QUEENS PLATE offering 2 days of concerts, with a announced season purse contribution of $68 million versus $7-8 million for Alberta!!!

JOCKEY/FASHION MODEL CHANTAL SUTHERLAND (harness family background) drives a harness horse during a exhibition race at South Carolina, next weekend , perhaps ASHA/CENTURY DOWNS will use her to promote harness racing/fashion show this summer to increase revenue for the government??

ALBERTA’S departed harness duo drive in a $818 exactor at woodbine last night, with TC having a $126 catch drive winner and 6 horses in the go last night, adding 20k to stable winnings. Alberta’s loss is Ontario’s gain as the recent multiple ASHA award winner is not missing a beat in his relocation!!!

IMPORTANT NOTICE for the aging male race industry participants – a miracle cure for lameness. BOTOX in small doses can be used for erectile dysfunction (lasts up to 6 months), please check with your HBPA representative if it is covered under eye care policy?

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