The sun doesn’t shine on the same dog’s ass all the time.
Catfish Hunter
True is it that we have seen better days.
William Shakespeare
Top 10 Bourbons
NY Times – The Go-Go’s Gave Us the Beat and So Much More
The average dog is nicer than the average person.
Andy Rooney
NY Times – Gorman – Lassie Got Help, Would Your Dog?
Paulick Report – Runhappy Named Title Sponsor Of 149th Travers
Bloodhorse – Crosby – Travers Makes Sense for Versatile Catholic Boy
Bloodhorse – Haskin – Travers a Big Race… For Justify
Phil has a question:
Will Wonder Gadot try the Travers or Alabama.
Do you think that Phil knows and is only asking the question so he can feature an overused tune.
Brisnet – Caldwell – Wonder Gadot breezes for Travers
Like you were expecting Lynyrd.
The Ennead wasn’t.
Bloodhorse – Wincze Hughes – Carrick Rallies to Victory in Secretariat Stakes
It was the third consecutive runner-up performance as the favorite for Analyze It, who previously had been defeated by Catholic Boy in the Pennine Ridge (G3) and Belmont Derby (G1).
Brisnet – DeRosa – Carrick sticks it to Analyze It, wins Secretariat
Pedigree Notes:
Carrick is the 184th black-type winner, 108th group/graded winner and 32nd top-level winner for his recently departed stallion. While his second dam lacks any black-type, third dam Gone To Venus produced MGSW Saudi Poetry (Storm Cat) and was a half-sister to GSW Rokeby Rose (Tom Rolfe), the dam of two-time Eclipse Award winner Silverbulletday (Silver Deputy). How Far To Heaven is responsible for the 2-year-old colt Zozo (Union Rags) and produced a filly by Sky Mesa this year. The mare was most recently bred to Constitution.
TDN – Carasso – Carrick Springs a Giant Upset in the Secretariat
When Phil was handicapping the Arlington Million Day Late P4 Phil gets to Analyze It and notices that the only horse that’s ever finished in front of Analyze It was Catholic Boy who Phil used the last two times these two raced. Phil scours the PPs looking for a sign and the only sign Phil can come up with is Lucius Tiberius that sounds a little Latinish and Phil remembers when Latin was the language of choice for the Catholic church. Seconds after Carrick crosses the finish line less than a length in front of Analyze It Phil notices that Carrick’s mother is How Far to Heaven and Bandua’s mother is If Angels Sang.
How did Phil miss those signs.
Speaking of Black Type none of Shirley’s laudatory lap dogs at her retirement soiree at Northlands Park asked her how many thoroughbred stakes races in Alberta lost their black type during her tenure as first Chair then CEO of Horse Racing Alberta. Shirley surely wouldn’t know cuz she doesn’t even understand the significance of Black Type to the Alberta Thoroughbred Breeding Industry.
Phil has a question:
What are the new Chair and CEO of Horse Racing Alberta going to do to get the Black Type reinstated to the Stakes races that lost it during Shirley’s reign.
What are the new Chair and CEO of Horse Racing Alberta going to do to get back the $80 million of annual handle lost during Shirley’s reign.
Does anybody other then her laudatory lap dogs think Shirley did a good job during her reign at Horse Racing Alberta.
The more I know about people, the more I love my dog.
Mark Twain
Paulick Report – Voss – McKinsey, Seven Years On: How Has Racing Done?
Cuff Report – Nine Years On: How Has Horse Racing Alberta Done
Phil has a question:
Is there a polite way to say F∈»ξing brutal.
Paulick Report – Voss – Round Table: British Jockey Club Focusing On Fans First, Wagers Next
The Bitter Southerner – Summer Reading Roundup 2018
Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.
Groucho Marks
Horse Race Insider – Berner – Money Laundering in Horse Racing News?
TDN – Cantillon – Op/Ed: Involving the Many Over the Few
Phil has a question
How does Schroeder hit the flats when the black keys are only painted on.
Wouldn’t Painted on Black Keys be a great name for a punk band.
The world today doesn’t make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?
Picasso
Garden and Gun – Reed – Man Up: How to be a True Gentleman
National Restaurant News – Thorn – Restaurants step up cold brew options
Phil was telling himself what a great idea to be able to get a cold brew at your local espresso purveyor. Then Phil read on.
Bloodhorse – Ron Mitchell and Genaro – Fasig-Tipton’s Record Saratoga Sale Elicits Emotions
This is Horse Racing – Law – Record Nights
TDN – Martini and DeBernardis – Medaglia d’Oro Dominates As Record-Setting FTSAUG Sale Concludes
TDN – Martini and DeBernardis – Pharoahmania at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Opener
Bloodhorse – Flay Lands Tapit Filly for $875,000
Speaking of Chefs
TDN – Martini – Record Fall Across the Board at Fasig-Tipton New York Sale
Bloodhorse – Ron Mitchell – Pioneer of the Nile Colt Sets NY-Bred Sale Record
Bloodhorse – Ron Mitchell – Average Spikes, Median Even as NY-Bred Sale Starts
TDN – Martini – Strong Opener to F-T NYB Sale
TDN – Fernando – Taking Stock: Blame Game Is On
NY Times – Powell – Donald Trump and The Black Athlete
Phil has a question:
Who gave Donald Trump permission to refer to Micheal Jordan as Mike or was Donald referring to Mike Tyson.
You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.
Harry S Truman
MacLean’s – Hemmadi – Alphonso Davies on life as Canada’s next great soccer star
Phil has a question:
Who was Canada’s First Great Soccer Star
TDN – McGrath – Starry Dreamer Made It a War On Two Fronts
Every dog must have his day.
Jonathan Swift
Top 10 Hot Dogs
A Hot Dog At the Ball Park Is Better Than Steak At the Ritz.
Humphrey Bogart
The mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water.
Sigmund Freud
The New Yorker – Rosner – It’s Time to Admit That Iceberg Is a Superior Lettuce
The Titanic hit the iceberg not because they could not see it coming but because they could not change direction.
Dean Devlin
Like you were expecting Celine.
The Ennead wasn’t.
Despair is a narcotic. It lulls the mind into indifference.
Charlie Chaplin
Paulick Report – Paulick – Misuse Of The Whip Can Leave A Welt On The Sport
Garden and Gun – Lotz – Nashville’s New Shake Shack
Be the person your dog thinks you are.
George Eliot
Bloodhorse – Kiekehfer – Robert Bruce Rallies to Arlington Million Victory
Bloodhorse – Angst – Voodoo Song Speeds to Fourstardave Upset
TDN – Voodoo Song Tenacious in Fourstardave Wire Job
Bloodhorse – Wincze Hughes – Heart to Heart One to Catch in Fourstardave
With all undue deference to Ms. Wincze Hughes Heart to Heart was not the one to catch in the Fourstardave. Voodoo Song is a tad quicker on the front end and with both Heart to Heart and Voodoo Song expected to vie for the lead the handicappers went to the closer Yoshida. A slight bobble at the gate from Heart to Heart and Voodoo Song inherits the lead and like a good speed horse he holds on.
Lee Trevino
Bloodhorse – Balan – Sistercharlie Gives Brown Fourth Straight Beverly D.
Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth lie
Dust unto dust
The calm, sweet earth that mothers all who die
As all men must;
Mourn not your captive comrades who must dwell
Too strong to strive
Within each steel-bound coffin of a cell,
Buried alive;
But rather mourn the apathetic throng
The cowed and the meek
Who see the world’s great anguish and its wrong
And dare not speak!
Ralph Chaplin
Top 10 Famous Last Words
The Bitter Southerner – Top 10 Articles – Fifth Anniversary Edition
Phil’s had only 1 entry in his Top 10 list contest so far so maybe Mucka’s right about apathy permeating the thoroughbred industry in Alberta. Or maybe it’s coming up with a Top Ten when the 2 most obvious have now transpired:
- Get rid of the QKB and CCW
- Have someone other than Northlands Park run thoroughbred racing
Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
Charlie Brown
And you can tell yourself that with the QKB and CCW gone and the myriad levels of mismanagement at Northlands Park slowly fading to black that maybe someone at either Horse Racing Alberta or the Century Mile will start paying attention to the needs of the thoroughbred industry.
Top 10 List contest
An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.
Buddha (Attributed)
Bloodhorse – Daugherty – Secret Message Steals the Show in Pucker Up Stakes
Politics is like football; if you see daylight, go through the hole.
John F. Kennedy
Jazzwise – ‘A Great Day in Harlem’ celebrates 60th anniversary
Time – Berman – See Art Kane’s Most Memorable Music Portraits
Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise.
George Gershwin
Bloodhorse – Haskin -The Empire State Strikes Back
Horse Race Insider – Pricci – From Saratoga to East Rutherford, New York-Breds Rule
TDN – Jump Start Filly Holds on in Adirondack
Phil’s Drink and a Flick:
My favorite band of all time is The Clash. The thing I love about The Clash is they started out as guys who could barely play three chords. They dabbled in reggae, punk, rap, jazz. They came to a sound that could only be defined as The Clash. It was impossible to say what it was. I admire them for that.
Michael Franti
Prospects for the 2018 Canadian Derby field
Riversedge Racing Stables’ Weekend Wizard followed up his facile win in the Chris Loseth Stakes at Hasting Racecourse with a second in the Muckleshoot Derby at Emerald Downs.
Regal Max, second to Peter Redekop B.C. Ltd.’s Apalachee Bay in the 2018 Count Lathum at Northlands Park headed north for a track record performance in the Alberta Derby at Grande Prairie. Regal Max has a few more shekels in his purse pocket thanks to Ken Drysdale, Dennis Dale, Al Side and Ed Welsh.
Phil’s a tad partial to Regal Max as he was bred in Alberta by Stone Ranches and purchased from the 2016 CTHS Alberta sale. He’s also got the same last name as Miracle Max the wizard who made the pill for Phil.
The British Columbia Cup Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial: Day Raider
- DAY RAIDER – PATTI TUBBS PHOTO
Coming into the Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial, the one certain thing about Day Raider ($18.90) was that he had never stopped coming forward in any of his races. He continued that practice in the Derby Trial with a come from behind effort that saw him moving past longshot El Noble late in the stretch to clear that one by a long length at the wire. El Noble had worn down the pacesetter Apalachee Bay only to see Day Raider deny him the win with a strong late surge. Apalachee Bay held on to third. Final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth was 1:44.80. A well-timed ride by Antonio Reyes gave him his fifth win on the card.
Day Raider is a relentless closer who has improved by leaps and bounds in his three starts this season after closing out his two-year-old campaign with a second in the Ascot Graduation as a maiden. The Kentucky bred gelded son of New Year’s Day is owned by Canyon Farms and trained by Craig MacPherson. He should take to either the mile-and-three-eighths offered by the Canadian Derby at Northlands or the mile-and-an-eighth here in the BC Derby. Both might be a bit much as they are two weeks apart.
Apalachee Bay was squeezed at the start of the British Columbia Cup Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial, then used hard early to get to the lead and faded to third.
Robertino Diodoro finished 1st, 2nd and 4th in the Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs on Louis Riel Day and rumour has it that Robertino’s best Canadian Derby hope will be training up to the race after the ultimate equipment change.
From the Insider
MANITOBA DERBY MUSINGS
So tough, yet so easy
Diodoro’s main jockey mows ’em down
Cutting the traditional Derby winner’s cake are (from left) owners Clayton Wiest, Tim Rollingson, Norman Tremblay, jockey Rico Walcott, Derby Belle Francine Fournier, owner Rick Wiest and trainer Robertino Diodoro
After the fact, the winner of the 70th Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Derby seems so obvious. Trainer Robertino Diodoro puts his favourite jockey Rico Walcott on Sky Promise—one of three horses Diodoro sent—and his main man mows down the competition to win the Derby going away. Duh!
Derby winner Sky Promise kicks well clear of the field after trailing early So why was handicapping this Derby so tough for veteran handicappers, some who needed even six of the eight horses in the field to feel comfortable with their pick-4 ticket? The fact is, even Diodoro was unsure which of his three horses would perform best—and he was trying to figure out who to send to the Canadian Derby at Northlands Park in Edmonton two weeks from this Saturday.
He told The Insider that people were coming to him asking which of his three horses would win: “C’mon, you can tell me,” they pleaded. In truth, he didn’t know, he told them.
Team Diodoro even considered changing the strategy in the Derby for Sky Promise because the horse’s preferred style is to come from the clouds–and previous races on the Derby card were won by horses on the lead. “But, in the end, we decided to go with our original strategy,” he said. Good call. Walcott pulled Sky Promise to the back of the pack in the 1 1/8-mile race and circled the field heading into the final turn to catch another Diodoro horse, United Patriot, and pulled away to win by 7 ½ lengths ($7.20).
So will we see just Sky Promise in the Canadian Derby (looks very powerful) or will Diodoro also send United Patriot to keep the pace honest? We’ll see.
Watch the Derby here.
Phil has a question:
Where’s the cannoli for Rico.
You may ask yourself who’s coming to the Canadian Derby and who’s not.
You can tell yourself that Phil will post the Canadian Derby nominations and entries as soon as they are available notwithstanding that nobody at Northlands Park has ever sent Phil the nominations or entries for any race.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
COMMISSION RESCINDS SINGH’S LICENSE, NOW RIDES AT LA DOWNS: An investigation by the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission into the Winnipeg Sun Stakes as reported in last week’s Insider has resulted in the commission rescinding the ASD license of jockey Rohan Singh, saying he must reapply if he wishes to ride at ASD in the future. Singh is now riding at Louisiana Downs. The commission made no comment on the stakes race itself.
Horse Race Insider – Jicha – Racing and Sports at Honeymoon Stage, But It Won’t Last
Bloodhorse – Angst – Handle on U.S. Races Improves for Third Straight Year
DRF – Meadowlands: Handle declines in 2018
ESPN – Medcalf – Years after Louisville scandal, Rick Pitino owns horse named Party Dancer
ESPN – Dinich – Sources: Maryland OL Jordan McNair showed signs of extreme exhaustion
ESPN – Dinich, Rittenberg and VanHaaren – The inside story of a toxic culture at Maryland football
ESPN – Dinich and Rittenberg – Maryland puts trainers, strength coach on leave
While Durkin remains head coach, a story published Friday by ESPN, citing former players and staff members, said he and strength and conditioning coach Rick Court orchestrated a culture “based on fear and intimidation,” and that “belittling, humiliation and embarrassment of players is common.”
Phil has a question:
Why are Durkin and the Athletic Director not on leave as well.
NY Times –Maryland Suspends Football Coach D.J. Durkin After Report of Abuse
Would the NCAA be investigating if an alumnus bought a student athlete an ice cream cone and a lap dance rather than a student athlete dying from heat exhaustion.
With Durkin’s record at Maryland being 6 – 7 in his first year then falling to 4 – 8 in his second do you think his methods are working.
Contented Cows Give Better Milk!
NY Times – Klein – Give a Cow a Brush, and Watch It Scratch That Itch
Sportsnet – CP – Nurse signs one-year deal with Australian team
Bloodhorse – Gunnevera Impresses in Return; Woodward Next
There are two Dialed In yearlings available at the 2018 CTHS Alberta Sale, one on the same cross as Gunnerva:
Dialed_In_A_Beautiful Dream_True_Nicks
Dialed_In_Char’s_Still_Here_True_Nicks
Bloodhorse – Balan – Instagrand Romps in Best Pal at Del Mar
TDN – Into Mischief’s Instagrand Drops Jaws Again in Best Pal
Speaking of Miracle Max and the pill he made for Phil, Phil feels the chocolate coating wearing off and the causticity slowly seeping back.
Phil M Stockmen
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How about Toonie beer for Canadian Derby Day
WILL THE RACING PATRONS GET THEIR $$$ WORTH AT THE CANADIAN DERBY
5 things that the longtime loyal racing fans at Northlands deserve with racing ending
1. A fan appreciation day before derby with $1 programs/canned pop/hotdogs to reward loyalty.
2. A viewing of all historic derby races even the ones on loop film.
3. A recognition of veteran jockeys/trainers for the longtime fans to acknowledge.
4. Bringing back old track announcers for a race call even if they can’t see too good anymore.
5. Some form of entertainment/activities to keep the fans engaged with 7 hour race card marathon .
Northlands is rumoured to be gifting its race office draw bingo machine to either Fred Hilts or John Heath(long time agents) or KC with the modernization of computer draws, if they all decline perhaps a seniors home would be a good retirement place.