Sal says that when Topo gives the flock a young thoroughbred with Alberta Connections Randy Howg’s Gorgeous Ginny to watch and wager on just like a semi going the other way along comes another Albertan Elaine MacPherson who bred the winner in Kentucky to take the wind out of Topo’s Alberta sails.

UFO

Brisnet – Caldwell – Oscar Performance, Senior Investment ready for Belmont Derby

Bloodhorse – Balan – Holy Helena Sails Clear in Queen’s Plate

ESPN – DRF – Gierkink – Holy Helena shows her best in Queen’s Plate

US Racing – Ransom – Queen’s Plate Kicks off Canadian Triple Crown

TDN – Holy Helena Dominates Queen’s Plate

Bloodhorse – Hammonds – Holy Helena Latest Breeding Success for Stronach

Unchained Melody

Bloodhorse – Hangin With Haskin – Hammer Time: My Wildest Assignment Ever

The Globe and Mail – Semeniul – Meet Jennifer Sidey and Joshua Kutryk, Canada’s newest astronauts

Rocket Man

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Why France gives the Hollinsheads a chance British racing couldn’t deliver

Ruby Tuesday

Bloodhorse – Shea – Green Mask Powers to Highlander Score

Bloodhorse – Shea – Starship Jubilee, Rainha Da Bateria Win Dance Smartly

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Bloodhorse – Balan – Go Bro Upsets King Edward at 44-1

Bloodhorse – LaRue – Aldous Snow Gets Third Singspiel Victory

TDN – Speightstown Colt Game in Charlie Barley Victory

TDN – Bill Finley – Trainer Rojas Found Not Guilty on Most Serious Charges

Paulick report – Paulick – Rojas Verdict: Not Guilty On Wire Fraud, Guilty On Misbranding Of Prescription Drugs

I Fought The Law

NY Times – Mallozzi – Soccer Academy Reaches Across Border to Nurture Young Players

National Post – Traikos – The GMs are learning: NHL teams favour stopgap solutions — and avoid salary-cap hell — in free agency

National Post – O’Connor – Hockey Parent Confidential

High School Confidential

Garden and Gun – Summer in the South: 20 Must-Try Recipes

Grub Street – Rainey – Hampton Creek Says It Will Start Selling Lab-Grown Meat in 2018

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

Wall Street has turned the economy into a giant asset-stripping scheme, one whose purpose is to suck the last bits of meat from the carcass of the middle class.

Matt Taibbi

Southern Living – Sims – Last-Minute Gifts for Your 4th of July Hostess

Sal says these gifts will put a bigger smile on the host or hostess.

Amazed

Generally when there’s a lot of smoke… there’s just a whole lot more smoke.

George Foreman

domenica 2 luglio

Bloodhorse – Wincze Hughes – Unchained Melody Scores Righteous Win in Mother Goose

ESPN – DRF – Grening – Unchained Melody leads all the way in Mother Goose

You’ll Never Walk Alone

The Globe and Mail – Lehmann – Where the water takes us

Bloodhorse – Novak – Bigger Picture Dives to Record United Nations Score

Garden and Gun – Lotz – A Slice of Key Lime Pie History

Southern Living – 12 Non-Alcoholic Fourth of July Drinks

Southern Living – Fourth of July Quotes

200 Years

Paulick Report – Weekend Lineup: Queen’s Plate Sunday

Somebody to Love

Bloodhorse – Balan – Enola Gray Speeds to Wilshire Win

LA Times – Vartabedian – 1,800 tons of radioactive waste has an ocean view and nowhere to go

16 Tonnes

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Fast Cash Saturday at Gulfstream

Louisville Courier-Journal – Lerner – For Louisville’s Dale Romans, Churchill Downs success has been decades in the making

ESPN – DRF – Hersh – Three Rules makes Carry Back first graded stakes win

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Duckworth – Chrome and Pharoah the big draws in a ‘whole new way to tell the story of the Thoroughbred’

TDN – Frary – Galileo’s Capri Conquers the Irish Derby

Paulick Report – Royal Ascot Demonstrates ‘Transparency,’ ‘Seriousness’ With Detailed Inquiry Coverage

sabato giorno del Canada

National Post – Conrad Black: How the rise of Canada is in some ways greater than even America’s

Gimme Sympathy

National Post – Charles Krauthammer: In sports, winning is everything, but losing is even worse

Edmonton Journal – Hills – Jelena Mrdjenovich to defend titles in France

NY Times – Cacciola – Paul George Is Said to Be Traded to Oklahoma City Thunder

FiveThirtyEight – Wagner – Paul George Makes The Thunder Contenders Again

Don’t Let Me Down

TDN – Thornton – Farm Labor Reform: A Never-Ending Chore

Come on Teacher

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.

Albert Einstein

TDN – Bianca –Beach Patrol Looms Large in UN

National Post – Platt – The King-Byng crisis of 1926 is still paying it forward nearly a century later

Unchained Melody

TDN – DeBernardis – Pletcher Seeks Sixth Mother Goose Win

School’s Out

Man can now fly in the air like a bird, swim under the ocean like a fish, he can burrow into the ground like a mole. Now if only he could walk the earth like a man, this would be paradise.
Tommy Douglas

National Post – John Robson: Canadians feel for aboriginals, but our patience for too many insults has limits

We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers – but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault, because if you wanted to change you’re the one who has got to change.

Katharine Hepburn

TDN – DeBernardis – BC Berth on the Line in Smile Sprint

National Post – Hopper – Railroad-building in the 19th century was an orgy of corruption. But hey, it built a country

At the 100th Meridian

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

Bruce Lee

TDN – DeBernardis – ‘Helena’ Attempts Oaks/Queen’s Plate Double

Paulick Report – DIRECTV To Offer First Ever Broadcast Of Queen’s Plate In 4K

Street Fighting Man

The Globe and Mail – Maki – Dave Semenko was the Great Protector on the Edmonton Oilers

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

TwinSpires Blog – Challenging Santa Anita Pick 4 has potential to pay well

Comin’ Home

LA Times – OpEd – Rosenblum – Donald Trump says mean girls like Mika Brzezinski are bullying him. He still can’t sit with us

SportsNet – Report: David Price, Dennis Eckersley have confrontation on team flight

In politics one has to do as one at sea with a sailing ship; not try, to go straight ahead, but reach one course having regard to prevailing winds.

McKenzie King

I Make The Dough, You Get The Glory

NY Times – Kepner – Jim Bouton, Author and Former Pitcher, Struggles With Brain Disease

Have You Ever Loved A Woman

Paulick Report – Barn Buddies: ‘Have You Seen The Petting Zoo At Bruce Brown’s Barn?’

Acadian Driftwood

Bloodhorse – LaRue – Tower of Texas Set for Third King Edward

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

TDN – Ten City Remains Perfect in Bashford Manor

Bloodhorse – Balan – Ten City Bests Copper Bullet in Bashford Manor

Driving – Fletcher – 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the most powerful 911 ever

Sal says if you’re a famous heart surgeon with a 911 your vanity plate can be Call 911.

venerdi Canada giorno di vigilia

TDN -Twenty Set For Africa’s Premier Race

NY Times – Austen – Canada Is Turning 150. Oh, to Be 100 Again, for Expo 67.

Edmonton Journal – Griwkowsky – Scenic Route to Alaska and Nuela Charles win big at Edmonton Music Awards

And just to show what a great corporate citizen they are for the city of Edmonton, Northlands Park is allowing Century Downs to feature Scenic Route to Alaska at their Canada Day show while Northlands Park will feature Costly Road to Oblivion.

Oblivion

Ignorance is not bliss – it is oblivion.

Philip Wylie

NY Times – Cacciola – Jeff Hornacek Tries Being Tactful About the Triangle

NY Times – Araton – Phil Jackson’s Beloved Triangle: A Symbol of Hubris

Sal says that il nove is probably wandering aloud why Sal used the octagon in a sport with 5 players rather than the pentagram when referring to Phil Jackson’s demise. Sal says il nove must remember that Duke has the patent on the pentagram.

Bloodhorse – Haskin – Get your Scorecard, the Travers Trail Has Begun

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Summit went to the top of racing quickly and has stayed there

More significant is Mr. Trump’s continued mistreatment of women. It is disturbing that the president of the United States keeps up his unrelenting assault on women. From his menstruation musings about Megyn Kelly, to his fat-shaming treatment of a former Miss Universe, to his braggadocio claims about grabbing women’s genitalia, the 45th president is setting the poorest of standards for our children. We were heartened to hear a number of Republican lawmakers call out Mr. Trump for his offensive words and can only hope that the women who are closest to him will follow their examples. It would be the height of hypocrisy to claim the mantle of women’s empowerment while allowing a family member to continue such abusive conduct.

Washington Post – Brzeziniski and Scarborough – Donald Trump is not well

TwinSpires Blog – Queen’s Plate betting Guide

TDN – TDN Q&A: Woodbine’s Jim Lawson

US Racing – Was Scratch of Horse at Charles Town Warranted?

Sal says that the stewards need to have a serious look at their rules of racing and the track rules if a horse can enter with one mediocre 4 furlong work.

The Globe and Mail – Hunter and Hager – B.C. NDP to form government, ending 16 years of Liberal rule

National Post – Shaw – NDP asked to form next B.C. government after Liberal defeat

Running Back to Saskatoon

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Smith – The horse who could help take the Breeders’ Cup to the next level of globalisation

giovedi 29 giugno

The U.S. agency also thanked the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) for its assistance in the case.

However, its conclusions are not shared by the Calgary-based regulator. Alison Trollope, a spokeswoman for the ASC, said via e-mail Wednesday “our investigation led us to a different conclusion than that of the SEC.” She declined further comment.

The Globe and Mail – Cryderman – U.S. charges Obsidian, formerly Penn West, with accounting fraud

Sal says that it should not take the SEC to come to the rescue of Alberta and Canadian investors.

Sal says that what is most disappointing about the Notley regime in Alberta is its abject failure to take the broom and sweep out all the incompetent Tory patronage cronies.

Bloodhorse – Lights of Medina Leads Pletcher Trio in Mother Goose

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Bloodhorse – Eric Mitchell – Archarcharch, Tizway to South Korea

NY Times – Powell – Zen Phil Is Gone, but All Is Not Lost for Knicks

NY Times – Barry – The Triangle Offense, a Simple Yet Perplexing System, Dies

Sal says that the Bulls with Pippen and Jordan and the Lakers with Bryant and O’Neill could have been playing an octagon offense and still won also those rings.

Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water.

Paulick Report – Paulick – Trainer Beattie At Rojas Trial: ‘Almost Everybody’ Illegally Treated Horses On Race Day

National Post – Shaw – Clark to tell lieutenant-governor the NDP-Green alliance cannot offer stable government

Won’t Get Fooled Again

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Smith – Is the battle of Thoroughbred racing’s superpowers really back on?

National Post – Billionaire Jimmy Pattison buys Marilyn Monroe’s dress for $6.3M, puts it in small Saskatchewan hometown

Candle In The Wind

Sal says that with Topo back in the fold Sal feels like he’s starting to channel early Phil.

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.

Basho

mercoledì 28 giugno

Sal says that Topo must be speaking about the Alberta HBPA Executive Director who kept his financials al fagiolo. But who is the first best numbers guy in Alberta.

Is it somenone who can conteggio dei fagioli or is it someone who can run the numbers.

TDN – Bill Finley – Supreme Court to Hear New Jersey Sports Betting Case

Bloodhorse – Angst – After 26 Stakes Wins, Fan Favorite Ben’s Cat Retired

Paulick Report – Paulick – View From The Eighth Pole: Murray Rojas Trial Casts Dark Shadow Over Racing

Paulick Report – Frank Mitchell – Bloodlines Presented By Merck Animal Health: Scat Daddy’s Legacy Lives On Royally

NY Times – Moskin – We Taste-Tested 10 Hot Dogs. Here Are the Best.

Southern Living – Festive, No-Fuss 4th of July Appetizers

NY Times – Tepperman – Canada’s Ruthlessly Smart Immigration Policy

Lady and the Track – Perdue – A Yank’s Reflections on Royal Ascot

Sal says that Topo may never get to Ascot as Topo knows that the pussycat’s been to London to see the Queen.

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – MacDonald – Superstars, spectacular partying and a ‘notorious’ sprint by naked men – it’s the unique vibe of Africa’s greatest raceday

Sal says to check with your local Hudson’s as some of the locations take Canadian Tire Money at par on Canada Day.

TDN – DiDonato – Small Stable, Full ‘Plate’

martedi 27 giugno

TDN – Harvey – Everest In Sight For Caravaggio

Brisnet – Reilly – Holy Helena consolidates Queen’s Plate favoritism after Monday work

Bloodhorse – Angst – Industry Groups Ask for Change in Parx Oaks Ruling

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Triple Crown Change? Time for Horsemen to Walk The Talk

ESPN – DRF – Watchmaker – Disappointing to see Jockey Club Gold Cup purse cut

ESPN – DRF – Purse on hold after suspended owner runs winning horse

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – MacDonald – Why California Chrome is getting top marks for his work in the breeding shed

The Globe and Mail – Kelly: The Blue Jays are Schrodinger’s cat. So what’s in the box?

TDN – Caulfield – Pedigree Insights: Galileo & Scat Daddy

TDN – Massam – Serengeti Has the Look of Lion

lunedì 26 giugno

Bob Dylan’s Nobel Lecture

Forever Young

The Globe and Mail – AP – Dalton- Did Bob Dylan plagiarize his Nobel lecture from SparkNotes?

We all know where the answer is:

Blowin in the Wind

If you steal from one author it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many it’s research.

Wilson Mizner

TDN – Op/Ed – Karlsson – Belmont Stakes Reflections

TDN – Letter to the Editor: Time to Fill the Lake

NY Times – Aaron – Before and After OK Computer

This Mess We’re in

The Guardian – Cook – Are you ready for your Royal Ascot procession close-up, your majesty?

Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Cheery Bye to Royal Ascot’s Jolly Good Show

TDN – Johnson – Letter from Ascot: Up the Stretch Awards

Coming Back

Graceland

Sal was wandering if all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could put Phil Stockmen back together again.

To find a form that accommodates the mess, that is the task of the artist now.

Samuel Beckett

The Globe and Mail – Duhatschek -Combining NHL awards and expansion draft a disservice to winners

TDN – Frary –Scat Daddy’s Caravaggio Wins Commonwealth Cup Battle

Bulls on Parade

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Tony Morris’s 100 shapers of the breed: the story of Djebel

Sound of Silence

The Bitter Southerner – Reese – The Bitter Southerner No. 8

Driver 8

TDN – DeBernardis – Down the Shedrow with Christophe Clement

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Shields – Great fillies, Breeders’ Cup stars, a 190-1 winner and Northern Dancer: who’s next on this amazing roll of honour?

Leaving on a Jet Plane

TDN – Frary – Tin Man All Heart in Diamond Jubilee

National Post – Rex Murphy: The grand acts of moose and fine men

The Globe and Mail – Kelly: The Mayweather-McGregor ‘joke’ is on us

Lay Down Sally

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – MacDonald – The shy grandmother who is Todd Pletcher’s director of operations for Royal Ascot (among other places)

Paulick Report – ‘Drawn To Horses’ From The Start, Pletcher Assistant DePasquale ‘Can’t Imagine Doing Anything Else’

Mustang Sally

NY Times – Kepner – Give Baseball Scouts a (Perfect) 80 for Tradition

TDN – Massam – Coalition Launches to Repeal Sports Betting Ban

Horse Race Insider – Jicha – They’re back! Cries for longer Triple Crown gaps arise again

Still Crazy after all these Years

Horse Race Insider – Indulto – RITVO: “…Give them a level playing field…”

TDN – Oppenheim: Belmont Festival Sires

National Post – BreHaut – Attack of the killer potatoes: French fries and other fried spuds associated with a doubled risk of death

Every bad situation is a blues song waiting to happen.

Amy Winehouse

TDN – Bill Finley – Immigration Policies Creating Havoc for Horsemen

Bird On Wire

Paulick Report – Pennsylvania: Businessman Scraps Plans For Racino Near Gettysburg

Dance Me To The End of Love

TDN – Grevelis – ‘Split Second Reaction’: The Anatomy Of A Jockey’s Fall

Racing Post – McGrath – New regime at Godolphin has the chance for a fresh start with Coolmore

Paulick Report – Paulick – Paulick – View From The Eighth Pole: The Race To The Breeding Shed

Fat Bottomed Girls

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Which Royal Ascot G1 winner is this?

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – California Chrome, second careers and the lure of the polo field

Bloodhorse – Balan – ‘Hermaphrodite’ Reported Before Race at Santa Anita

The Sound of Silence

TDN – Racing Community Mourn Loss of ‘Big Ivan’ Puhich

Creep

The Bitter Southerner – Kornegay – Friends to Strangers

Seven Army Nation

“Field size is the biggest factor, more important than takeout,” he said. “And the 50-cent increment is more important than the takeout. A lot of people can win (the 50-cent Pick 5), whereas the Pick 6 (a $2 minimum bet) usually is won by people that can afford (big tickets) because of the two dollars.

“The biggest driver in handle is field size. Anybody who wants to argue that doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. If somebody asked me if I’d rather have 12 horses in a $20,000 claimer than three horses in a Grade I race, as far as wagering is concerned, I would. You gotta have a product, you’ve got to give people some value. In order to have value, you’ve got to have field size.”

Liebau also disagrees with those who believe the Thoroughbred Owners of California wield too much power in the state. The saying goes that if you want to get something done, whether it be a reduction in takeout or any type of rule change, the TOC must sign off on it.

“I think the most power in California belongs to The Stronach Group,” he said. “They own the facility. It is a partnership. You can’t have racing unless you got owners and trainers and a facility, but if you asked me who was the most powerful factor, it’s The Stronach Group. But having the power and being able to get things done and improve things don’t go hand in hand. You gotta have everybody in the bag.

“Everybody started blaming the tracks, track management, for what’s perceived as racing being in dire straits. There are other segments of the industry that have just as big a stake, maybe a bigger stake like the owners and trainers, organized labor … and you would hope that everybody would work together.

“I have to say that over time racing probably has been viewed as somewhat dysfunctional. I think even among the tracks at times there is a certain amount of dysfunctionality.”

On that, many would agree.

Los Angeles Daily News – Wilson – Takeout at the racetrack prompts varying points of view

While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised land, we have forgotten how to walk.

Wendell Johnson

NY Times – Longman – In Pursuit of Millennials, More Fun in Sports. But Still No Twerking.

The Globe and Mail – Lehmann – CFL mounts fan blitz to reverse ticket slump

TDN – NYRA Announces Partnership with ReplyBuy

NY Times – Strom – Food & Wine Magazine Will Leave New York for Alabama

Sweet Home Alabama

TDN Thornton – The Week in Review

Driving – Details leak over Aston Martin’s upcoming hypercar

James Bond

Show me How to Live