The seven bizarre traditions that make up Swedish Midsummer
Phil was wandering if the first bizarre tradition is celebrating Midsummer in June.
Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth.
William Shakespeare
Phil was wandering when one of the American thoroughbred jurisdictions will finally bring Maxwell’s silver hammer down on Luis Saez’s head. His ride on Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby was sloppy and careless and he was suspended for it but is playing the stay game, his ride on Maximum Security in the Haskell was sloppy and careless but Monmouth has panty waist stewards. Worst yet was his ride on Stones in the Road in the 10th race at Saratoga on Saturday, August 10, 2019. Not only was his ride sloppy and careless it seems to Phil that once he realized that he had caused interference he stopped riding his horse.
Phil doesn’t care whether or not you think you caused interference, it’s still the jockeys’ obligation to use his best efforts on his horse and it sure looks like Saez was coasting home hoping to finish behind the horse he interfered with thereby dodging an objection.
Bloodhorse – NYRA Generates Record Whitney Day All-Sources Handle
Phil wanders what Assinibioa Downs and Hastings Park are doing right and Century Mile is doing wrong when you look at the 2019 handle and compare it to the last few years of Northlands Park mismanagement.
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
William Shakespeare
Brisnet – Beau Recall prevails on head bob, in stewards’ room in Yellow Ribbon
Phil wanders if the sub-par performance of Vasilika had anything to do with the increased scrutiny that HOShame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is under at Del Mar.
Phil wanders what happened to the jockey colony in Southern California. You used to have Willie Shoemaker, Gary Stevens, Corey Nakatani, Chris McCarron, Laffit Pincay Jr., Eddie Delahoussaye, Mike Smith, Kent Desormeaux, Patrick Valenzuela, Alex Solis, Chris Antley et al and now the colony is a faded shadow of itself.
DRF – Hovdey: Reflections on a golden age of California jockeys
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
William Shakespeare
I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about t’expound this dream. Methought I was—there is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and methought I had—but man is but a patched fool if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It shall be called ‘Bottom’s Dream’, because it hath no bottom.
William Shakespeare
Phil was wandering if in Canada the Midsummer Holiday tradition includes wearing your empty seat costume to CFL games as a look at the stands in Calgary yesterday for the Battle of Alberta game showed more empty than full seats.
CFL attendance down 6.5 per cent from 2018
Which will fade into oblivion first thoroughbred racing in Alberta or the CFL.
Brisnet – Reilly – Mr. Money rolls to fourth straight in West Virginia Derby
Brisnet – Hanson – Covfefe wears down Serengeti Empress in Test; Leinster takes Troy in stakes debut
Phil was wandering when the American thoroughbred media will start to admit that the Northern Dancer sire line is slowly but surely creeping back into prominence in North America.
TDN – Cafe Americano Caps Big Day for Brown, Brant
TDN – Carasso – Bricks and Mortar Gives Brown the Arlington Hat Trick in Million
TDN – Hard Spun Colt Impresses in Saratoga Special
Bloodhorse – Eric Mitchell – Shadai Buys Breeding Rights to Bricks and Mortar
TDN – Mind Your Biscuits Sold To Shadai Farm, To Stand In Japan After Racing Career
Phil was wandering if the American thoroughbred industry notices that the Japanese thoroughbred industry is adding the Northern Dancer sire line to the Sunday Silence line.
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here,
While these visions did appear;
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend.
William Shakespeare
Phil was wandering if any of the usual suspects at Horse Racing Alberta has calculated the number of thoroughbred mares owned by Albertans being bred in other jurisdictions and compared it to the number of thoroughbred mares being bred in Alberta. Phil will wager that over the years the numerator has been growing and the denominator has been shrinking and pretty soon the fraction will be greater than 1.
Carmelo Anthony on 2018-19: ‘I loved the game more than the game loved me’
Phil was wandering if Raptors would have won the NBA championship if the Warriors had added Melo as an insurance policy.
Phil was wandering why the Raptors haven’t added Melo to thier roster for 2019 – 2020.
Phil was wandering if you ever noticed that sometimes Phil gets stuck in the same record groove.
Driving – These are the five best movie and TV car fakes
Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.
Saint Augustine
2 Responses to “Phil’s Midsummer’s Night Mare Musings”
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Mucka
Phil sees a problem.
Where do you find a phone booth for Clark Kent to change in.
HRA’S CLARK KENT TO THE RESCUE?
After a year of his reign with minimal CEO posting of the HRA mandate to promote and grow the racing industry in Alberta lets give him a C grade, where the overall betting handle from 2008 to 2018 has dropped from 180 million to 108 million and thoroughbred dates 119 to 66 ouch!!!!
The 2018 annual report was just posted buried (mid july) under a 3 click, go to hra alberta for about and then documents and then 2018 annual as the CEO refused my request to inform the stakeholders of the current financial affairs by putting it in the main blog article area. grade F
The 2019 -2021 3 year business plan was posted in June showing a 10 million increase in century operating grant and no industry purse increases until 2021, Tenile sure applied KY to stakeholders. The request to place it in the main blog article was granted (grade A) but if you are looking for it its under above/documents/2019 business grade FFF
Budget reporting by Clark Kent in a recent article was that betting was down 5% from some mystery budget. Terry Jones at least called a spade a spade by reporting 7 races and short fields have affected the handle. He reported a handle of 142k and 45k of it on track Surprise / Surprise Northlands Park averaged 249 k last year , how is it a 5% drop at 142k, did tenile not take her abacus and crystal ball or case of rose coloured glasses when she cleaned out her desk.
Accountability starts at top don’t blame the bettors, horsemen for the industry WOES!!!! grade F
PATHETIC posting of NO 2019 board expense accounts, UCP minister responsible was emailed cc CEO didn’t light a fire under his ass, blaming the recent start of a new CFO /May 25. The government ministers are required to post expenses on monthly basis. grade F
JUDGES FOLLY ruling harness #34 with COLIN KERRY instead of COLIN KELLY inquired as do they proof reading rulings, CEO blamed it on the licensing clerk, fine the 3 blind mice if they can’t read their ruling for accuracy, do they sign a blank page and then get it typed. grade FF
NEW CEO is positive after fuggate where a full-time prosecutor still got to bill HRA at $600 a day for a total of 111K, was she working in her sleep for tribunal rulings grade B
2017 CANADIAN DERBY appeal is rumoured to be resolved by Aug 15/ derby day as the ancestry DNA of the individuals involved has finally been determined. grade FFFFFFF
NORTHLANDS recent K days showed a 100k drop in attendance but to utilize the paddock for a beach volley tournament was a stroke of genius repurposing the suggested concert venue??? The beach boys concert was cancelled due to lack of green.
SCOTT SINCLAIIR has hit the green jackpot by moving to FREEDOM CANNABIS as marketing and distribution manager, rumoured to give out free promotional sample with valid 2020 HRA license!!! grade AAAAA