Jul 092017
 

National Post – Thomson – Why are Albertans so mad? Everything you need to know about the federal equalization program


Get Off My Back


If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood.
Peter Handke


The Globe and Mail – Macklin – Ottawa failed Omar Khadr: That’s why he deserves compensation

Sal says that Ottawa has been failing the citizens of the province of Alberta for decades. When can we expect our settlement cheques.


Urban conservationists may feel entitled to be unconcerned about food production because they are not farmers. But they can’t be let off so easily, for they are all farming by proxy.
Wendell Berry


As Sal was having a late lunch on Friday he had to agree with every small c conservative from Calgary who complains that the Mother Channel is a waste of taxpayers money when all it can show on a Friday afternoon is the Calgary Stampede. Sal says that I’m sure they were lined up 10 deep watching the tube at O’Reilly’s Pub. Sal’s sure that the Mother Channel could have found some reruns of As the Backstretch Turns.
If you want real stampede action take in a couple of the smaller stampedes across Alberta:
like the Rycroft recommended
Image result for tp creek stampede logoor the
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Pro Rodeo CanadaSal says that Sal may be no connoisseur of rodeo and no fan of PETA campaigns but Sal would dump bucking broncs and saddle broncs in less than 8 seconds. How pedantic when most riders stay on for the full 8 seconds so we’re left with the French figure skating judge deciding who wins.
Give Sal the Bulls any day. Watch a bull when it bucks the rider off. It doesn’t timidly wait for a lead pony to guide it back to the safety of the barns it attacks anything and everything in its path and does a few struts for the crowd. Few riders can stay on the entire 8 seconds and the Bulls have star power.
Go to the local country bar and your roll of quarters won’t get you a ride on a bronc but it will get you bucked off the mechanical bull.
Broncs may buck up and down as high as they want but the bulls buck twist and shout.

TOP 10: All Time Bucking Bulls

Plus the Bulls have their own entrance song:

Bulls on Parade

and their own exit song:

Another One Bites the Dust.


You know it’s important to have a Jeep in Los Angeles. That front wheel drive is crucial when it starts to snow on Rodeo Drive.

Christopher Guest


Queen of the Rodeo


Curt Kozba’s Triple K Stables’ Ghost Hunter garnered his sire Ghostzapper one graded stakes victory on Saturday with an impressive move up the inside in the Arlington Handicap at Arlington Park with Edwin Gonzalez in the irons for trainer Jamie Ness. Kurt was looking rather dapper in the winner’s circle after the race.

Bloodhorse – Ghost Hunter Makes Grade in Arlington Handicap

ESPN – DRF – Grening –  7-year-old Ghost Hunter wins Arlington Handicap

Sal had planned on playing the Pick 4 at Belmont and the Pick 4 at Arlington as both featured graded stakes on excellent cards. After finding not a single TV showing Arlington on the main floor at Northlands Park Sal kept his wagering money in his pocket. Sal says that’s not the way to run a business.


Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Ross –  David vs Goliath: the growing divide between small and large U.S. stables


Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Star-Studded Summer Saturday in New York


US Racing – Ransom –  Saturday Stakes Highlight Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls


Bloodhorse – Novak – Keen Ice Blows By Shaman Ghost in Suburban

ESPN – DRF – Grening – Keen Ice pulls another surprise with win in Suburban Stakes

TDN –  Keen Ice Shocks Shaman Ghost in Suburban

Sal says the salve that Frank Stronach will use to soothe the sting of defeat is the knowledge that Keen Ice’s victory just made the 2018 Pegasus that much more lucrative.


Brisnet – Genaro – A Day at the Races: Stars & Stripes at Belmont Park


ESPN – DRF – Watchmaker – Lack of honest paces frustrates bettors

Sal says that lack of pace only frustrates bettors when they leave the  speed out of their ticket.

Sal says that a nuclear meltdown from ferocious fractions frustrates bettors when the leave the closers out of their ticket.


NY Times – The Upshot – Flynn and Katz – The Word Choices That Explain Why Jane Austen Endures


I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.

Ernest Hemingway


Hickory Wind


NY Times – Gustines –  Baseball’s Story So Far


We need a new plan.

The horse racing industry needs to show Australians how wonderful it is.

Tell the stories of the horses, and the people who dedicate their lives lovingly tending to them. Share accurate statistics on Thoroughbreds being rehomed post racing. Show the farms where the horses are raised, the high level of care and attention they are given, and explain the regulation and integrity processes that protect them. Teach people about the incredible biomechanics of the Thoroughbred and how they are trained like high-performance athletes.

Our goal should be to give those who are indifferent to horse racing a reason to care, and to respond well to positive messages about the sport. Negative messages are currently dominating the discussion–especially where it occurs online.

We need to work together as an industry to create a shared vision that will safeguard the future of horse racing. We must achieve nothing less than a radical shift in the perception of horse racing in modern society, and we must focus our efforts on young Australians.

If you work in the racing industry and feel as I do about the horses, the racing community and the sport, then you are sick of defending racing against fabricated statistics and slanderous innuendo. It’s time we did something proactive about it.

TDN – OpEd – Leonard –  Off the Pace: How Our Industry Must Change

Sal says that the no generation of 18 – 34s has ever wanted the type of education that Leonard wants to give them. What they want is a place to have fun socialize meet members of the opposite or same sex have a couple of cold beers a burger or hot dog avec or sans ketchup make a wager or two and then tell their friends what a good time they had at the track.

Social media is just word of mouth on steroids and what horse racing needs to do is to get as many 18 – 34s using social media to tell their friends they had a good time at the track.


Heard it Through the Grapevine


In Hollywood, an equitable divorce settlement means each party getting fifty percent of publicity.
Lauren Bacall


Horse Race Insider – Jicha – Monmouth must be saved and help could be on the way


Beck & Call


Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Smith –  How many female trainers are there in the world rankings – and who are they?

Paulick Report – South Africa: Trainer Candice Robinson Finding Success In Male-Dominated Sport

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Smith –  TRC Emerging Talent: training feat that shows Candice is a chip off the old block


Beware of advice—even this.
Carl Sandburg


Summertime


Thoroughbred Racing Commentary –  Children of Secretariat: Tinners Way, the son who gave the great horse his last hurrah


Garden and Gun – Jancer – Saving Southern Music


Atheists Don’t Have No Songs


Saturday’s Fred Jones Handicap Black Type looked like a Bobby Flay Throwdown as Deltin Stables and Ed Welsh’s Killing Me Smalls with Keishan Balgobin aboard for conditioner Ernie Keller and C and H Duggan Farms Ltd. and Shot in the Dark Racing Corp.’s Blue Dancer with Quincy Welsh up for trainer Gerg Tracy threw down the gauntlet straight out of the gate dueling like a pair of banjos with Killin Me Smalls continuing on to win the 1 1/16 mile affair in 1:43.83 a second and a tick off Chilcoton Blaze’s track record that has stood since 1984. Royal Warrior closed for second with Blue Dancer holding on for third.

Keishan may have been inspired by a number of the vintage muscle cars on display at Northlands Park Retro Days. You may have noticed that Sal never made mention of Retro Days. Sal holds nothing against Northlands Park but Northlands Park must hold something against Sal as they never bother to send Sal anything about any of their promotions.


Keishan’s front running tactics were not quite as successful in the Inaugural running of the Shirley Vargo Stake as Smart Fix lacked room and steadied at the head of the stretch before finishing evenly for fourth. Robert Vargo and Norm Castiglione’s Riversedge Racing Stables Ltd.’s Curlish Image stalked the pace and made a move in the corner and pulled away from the field in 1.44.38 for the 1 1/16 miles  for conditioner Tim Rycroft with leading rider Rico Walcott aboard. Quality Lane made an early move but was unable to hold off the winner and held for second. Port Protection closed for third place money.

The Shirley Vargo Stakes carries a purse of $75,000.00 with the extra $25,000.00 being donated by Robert Vargo.

DRF – Goulding –  Curlish Figure makes statement with Shirley Vargo


NY Times – Draper –  A Sudden Fall for a Mastermind of Sports TV Shouting


Paulick Report – HBPA’s Hamelback: We ‘Support Clean Racing In Our Sport. Period.’


Self Esteem


Horse Race Insider – Berner – HRI Exclusive: Paul Lo Duca to NYRA


Bloodhorse – Angst – Following Rojas Verdict, Penn National Ejects Trainer

Paulick Report – Penn National: Rojas, Beattie Permanently Ejected From Racetrack


In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company


Paulick Report – Smeallie – Commentary: In Wake Of Rojas Case, Racing Should Follow Lead Of USOC


Thunderstruck


Paulick Report – Frank Mitchell – Bloodlines: Holy Helena Carries On Tradition, Lasix-Free


Summertime


TDN – Bianca – A ‘Roman’ Invasion

ESPN – DRF – Andersen –  Roman, Prat tie for Santa Anita riding title


TwinSpires Blog – Scully – Smashing performances ahead of Del Mar and Saratoga


Disarm


Speaking of hot dogs avec or sans ketchup Sal’s mind was wandering if Northlands Park will be bringing back their Hot Dog eating contest for cheap entertainment at the 2017 Canadian Derby. With Joey Chestnut hinting about retirement the 2017 Northlands Park Hot Dog Eating Contest could be one of the preliminaries for finding a successor for the Mustard Yellow Belt.

Image result for Mustard Yellow belt

Sal says that Mucka Singh may even come out of retirement.


Mama Told Me Not to Come


Various American hot dogs

A steamie hot dog from La Banquise in Montreal, Canada.


Summertime


The inquiry determined that Hunter had failed in his fiduciary responsibilities when he, among other findings, considered investing union funds at a bank in which his son, Todd, was a director; employed his daughter and daughter-in-law; paid himself $1.3 million in unused vacation time with little oversight; and spent union funds on lavish gifts.

But while the report was an indictment of Hunter’s judgment, it found that he did not steal from the union or otherwise break the law. A month after the report’s release, 24 player representatives voted unanimously to fire Hunter.

NY Times – Draper –  Trial Date Set for Billy Hunter’s Case Against N.B.A. Players’ Union

Sal says that creeping nepotism will get you sacked from the NFA Player’s Union, but not from the US Presidency.


Conrad Hilton was very generous to me in the divorce settlement. He gave me 5000 Gideon Bibles.
Zsa Zsa Gabor



National Post –  AP – Widow goes after the money Canada will give Omar Khadr: lawyer

Sal says that neither Khadr nor the widow will see a penny, but a lot of lawyers will be driving brand new Mercedes Benz.

The notice of application filed on June 8 in Ontario Superior Court referenced an emergency injunction “if requested” to block any payment of compensation to Mr. Khadr. No court date was requested for an injunction and Mr. Khadr’s lawyers and the federal government were not served with notice of the legal challenge.

Failure to serve the government and Mr. Khadr’s lawyers cleared the way for Ottawa to make the payment to Mr. Khadr, according to a federal insider.

The Globe and Mail – Fife – Ottawa pays out $10.5-million to Omar Khadr

National Post – Perkel – Liberals have already paid Omar Khadr the $10.5M settlement: source

Sal says that it looks like Khadr’s Edmonton and Toronto lawyers finessed the hot shot Yankee legal pieces and Omar’s going to Take The Money and Run.


It’s the perfect definition of a settlement. Both parties didn’t get what they wanted.
David Geffen



National Post – Justin Fox: Oh, great. Now the hipsters are even finding a way to ruin being homeless


Paulick Report –  Blue Grass, Ohio Derby Victor Irap Tops List Of 44 Nominated To Indiana Derby


Girl


Southern Living – Rollwagen – The Best New Summer Books of 2017


Esquire – Ledgerwood – The Best Books of 2017 (So Far)


Garden and Gun –  Five Great Gulf-Set Beach Reads


Paperback Writer


When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.
George Orwell


Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Sage –  Sea Hero: the mercurial champion who produced his best in the Travers


NY Times – Rothenberg – Players Pull Out at Wimbledon, and Calls for Reform Flood In

Sal says that the only reason so many Palookas are invited to the first round of these matches is for gate money and media money. Sal says the solution is so simple we shouldn’t be reading about it in the NY times: unless medical reasons cause the withdrawal you receive no payment unless the match id finished.


Bloodhorse – Balan – Hence Closes From Last to Win Iowa Derby

TDN –  Hence Mows Them Down in Iowa Derby


National Post – Humphreys – Guest list for Ontario mobster’s wedding could offer clues about motives for his murder


You Don’t Miss Your Water


Humans merely share the earth. We can only protect the land, not own it.
Chief Seattle


Questo è per Phil

The 1937 C-1 Pickup helped International rebound from the Great Depression. See more classic car pictures.

Il nove catches the irony of l’ultimo.

Sal says that when Sal was digging through Phil’s dog eared archives Sal noted that Phil used to have a Friday feature called a Drink and a Phlick.

Sal says that here’s Sal’s edition of a Drink and a Phlick

Whiskey on the Rocks

Sal says that if you’ve ever spent a day under the unrelenting sun picking rocks you can skip the rocks.

Sal says that if you’ve ever spent a day under the unrelenting sun picking rocks your back aches like all Albertans from carrying the rest of the nation.

Garden and Gun – A Farm Life: Wendell Berry’s Kentucky

Look & See

Mr. Farmer


To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival.

Wendell Berry


Bloodhorse – Balan – Oscar Performance Speeds to Belmont Derby Victory

ESPN – DRF – Grening – Oscar Performance helps Jose Ortiz to five-win day

TDN –  Oscar Performance Puts On a Show in Belmont Derby


Bloodhorse – Novak –Mind Your Biscuits Tends to Business in Belmont Sprint

ESPN – DRF – Grening – Mind Your Biscuits dominates Belmont Sprint Championship

TDN –  Mind Your Biscuits Returns a Winner in BEL Sprint Championship


Bloodhorse – Wincze Hughes –  New Money Honey Leads Brown Sweep in Belmont Oaks

TDN –  New Money Honey Staves Off Sistercharlie in Belmont Oaks


Bloodhorse – Practical Joke Shines in Dwyer


Bloodhorse – Keystoneforvictory Takes Stars and Stripes

Now that’s a natural exactor: pizza and beer.


ESPN – DRF –  Dona Bruja puts on show in Modesty Handicap


TDN –  Helmet’s Thunder Snow Wins the Jean Prat


TDN –  Arch Rising Star Game to Capture Delaware Oaks


TDN –  City Zip Colt Stays Unbeaten in Woodbine’s Victoria


TDN –  More Than Ready’s Sonic Boom Wires American Derby


TDN –  Shanghai Bobby Colt Puts Away Favorite, Holds On at Belmont


TDN –  Galileo’s Ulysses Battles To Eclipse Victory


The Globe and Mail – Vanderklippe – An on-ice crash-course for Chinese athletes in 2022 Winter Games prep


DRF – Hovdey: Dickinson goes once more unto the breach


Hawthorne Sal

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