Why would any person in the United States even think of putting that fucking criminal and his fucking criminal family even close to the White House. They all belong in the Big House.

Mothers all want their sons to grow up to be president, but they don’t want them to become politicians in the process.

John F. Kennedy

Run Away To Mars

Los Angeles Times – AP – GERALD IMRAY and MOGOMOTSI MAGOME – South African runner Oscar Pistorius granted parole 10 years after killing his girlfriend

Phil has a question:

Which was worse shooting his girlfriend or lying about it.

You can’t trust politicians. It doesn’t matter who makes a political speech. It’s all lies – and it applies to any rock star who wants to make a political speech as well.

Bob Geldof

Canada’s National Observer – Max Fawcett – The Canadian Taxpayer Federation’s convenient double standard

Sportsnet – CP – Struggling Edmonton Elks to review ownership structure

Phil has a question:

Who’s hand was long enough to reach to the bottom of the barrel and pull out the Captain.

When the UCPs and now the Elks have to keep recycling fucking useless old political hacks where did the Alberta talent disappear to.

Who the fuck is going to be on the committee – Captain and Tennille, Clark Kent, the Undertaker and one of Tennille’s jiggy puppets, maybe Freddy Gillis or Jim Reid.

If you take a kickback are you required to report it to CRA.

Three groups spend other people’s money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision.

Dick Armey

Fortunate Son

The optimum committee has no members.

Norman Ralph Augustine

Phil has a question:

Then who would keep the chairs warm.

If you want to kill any idea in the world, get a committee working on it.

Charles Kettering

A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but who, as a group, can meet and decide that nothing can be done.

Fred Allen

A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.

Milton Berle

Muddle is the extra unknown personality in any committee.

Anthony Sampson

If Columbus had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock.

Arthur Goldberg

A committee is a group of the unprepared, appointed by the unwilling to do the unnecessary.

Fred Allen

Sometimes Phil just gotta give in to the Urge.

Cutting the Budget

Horse Race Insider – John Pricci – UPDATE 3: KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB STAKES JOINS CHURCHILL’S GOLDEN ROD AND CLARK

TDN – Juveniles in the Spotlight at Churchill Downs Saturday

Paulick Report – Ellis Starr – Equibase Analysis: Risk It’s Local Experience Makes Him One To Beat In Kentucky Jockey Club

What this country needs is more unemployed politicians.

Angela Davis

TDN – Alan Carasso – Cattleya Stakes Kicks Off Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby

Bloodhorse – Will Japan Cup Be Equinox’s Final Racing Chapter?

I shall not grow conservative with age.

Cady Stanton

Paulick Report – Jim Charvat – ‘He’ll Make A Good Trainer’: Cambra Lands Job Of A Lifetime As Assistant Trainer In Mandella Barn

The Ringer – Ben Solak – The Hot Read, Thanksgiving Edition: This Is the Jordan Love the Green Bay Packers Have Been Waiting For

Hawkmoon

You can have any color, as long as it’s black.

Henry Ford

Paint It Black

Bloodhorse – Racing Post – James Thomas – Alpha Centauri, Alpine Star Equal Irish Sales Record

New York Post – Taylor Knight – ‘Brown Friday’ is the worst plumbing day of the year — how to prep your toilet for it

Bob Appetit – Joe Sevier – 53 Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Front Office Sports – Michael McCarthy – Amazon Wants Black Friday NFL Viewers to Stay Seated — and Shop

I’ll stop wearing black when they invent a darker color.

Wednesday Addams

Black Magic Woman

Bloodhorse – Byron King and Dean Keppler – Xigera, Star Fortress Top Thanksgiving Stakes Results

TDN – Xigera Wins Third Straight In Churchill’s Holiday Feature

I work in three shades of black.

Rei Kawakubo

Horse Race Insider – John Pricci – UPDATE 1: FRIDAY’S FALLS CITY AND SATURDAY’S G2 GOLDEN ROD FEATURING SOME FLASHY FILLIES

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Jay Hovdey – Golden Pheasant: ’Entering the Japan Cup walking ring was like walking into a football stadium’

TDN – Provocateur To Stand At New York’s McMahon Stud

Paulick Report – ‘He’s Been Unreal’: Cal-Bred Star The Chosen Vron To Return In 2024

Welcome to the Black Parade

Paulick Report – Where They’re Headed: Churchill Jockeys, Trainers Ready For Winter Racing

Paint It Black

Los Angeles Times – Julie Giuffrida – Turkey is not just for Thanksgiving Day: Recipes for your leftovers

Southern Living – Melissa Clark – Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwiches

Back To Black

Southern Living – 40 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes Full Of Holiday Cheer

Sports Illustrated – Daniel Chavkin – NFL Fans Adored Dolly Parton’s Performance at Halftime of Cowboys-Commanders

Black is the color of my true love’s hair.

Robert Burns

Paint It Black

Thanksgiving Time

by Langston Hughes

When the night winds whistle through the trees and blow the crisp brown leaves a-crackling down,
When the autumn moon is big and yellow-orange and round,
When old Jack Frost is sparkling on the ground,
It’s Thanksgiving Time!

When the pantry jars are full of mince-meat and the shelves are laden with sweet spices for a cake,
When the butcher man sends up a turkey nice and fat to bake,
When the stores are crammed with everything ingenious cooks can make,
It’s Thanksgiving Time!

When the gales of coming winter outside your window howl,
When the air is sharp and cheery so it drives away your scowl,
When one’s appetite craves turkey and will have no other fowl,
It’s Thanksgiving Time!

Pilgrim

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Fourteen Thanksgiving Drinks

Garden and Gun – How Vivian Howard Fries a Foolproof Turkey

The Kitchn – How to Deep-Fry Turkey: The Terrified Beginner’s Guide

How to Deep Fry A Turkey

Uncle Ray’s Fried Turkeys

Popeye’s Cajun Style Turkey

Phil has a question:

Would you trust a turkey fryer ordered from Acme.

Country Living – Katie Bowlby – 10 Best Precooked Turkeys for Thanksgiving Dinner 2023

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Twelve Vegetable-Packed Sides for Thanksgiving

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Fourteen Comforting Side Dishes You Need at Thanksgiving

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Eleven Recipes for Your Main Thanksgiving Dish

Southern Living – Micah A Leal – What Temperature Should You Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey?

Epicurious – Thanksgiving Every Way

Epicurious – Our Best Thanksgiving Recipes, Menus, Strategies, and Tips for 2023

Remember the Alimony

Sports Illustrated – Albert Breer – NFL Week 11 Takeaways: No One Will Complain About Watching the Lions on Thanksgiving This Year

Bon Appetit – Sommelier Tries a $1,500 Bottle of Red Wine

Phil’s quick arithmetic says that’s $2.00US a milliltre, the same price as a bottle of Two Buck Chuck.

Phil has a question:

Who got to drink the rest of the bottle.

Aren’t sommeliers supposed to look like some snooty arrogant French asshole with attitude.

Harlan Estate

French Kiss

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Seven Sauces for Thanksgiving

Phil’s One Sauce for All Holidays

Southern Living – Josh Miller – 10 Ingredients Our Food Editor Says You Might Want To Avoid This Thanksgiving

Southern Living – 55 Dazzling Thanksgiving Pie Recipes

“Horse racing has reached its moment of reckoning and we wanted to know, can the sport really be reformed or is it too late?” Vega said as she opened the story. There was nothing hyperbolic about this statement. It is the question that hovers ominously over our sport and should have everyone worried about its future.

…
These things happened and by exposing them to the some 9 million people that watch 60 Minutes each week the sport looked terrible and likely inched closer to losing its social license to operate.

…
The problems are real. Though fewer horses are breaking down, the numbers remain unacceptably high. And every time a trainer winning at 30% moves up a horse by four or five lengths in the first race after a claim, you’d have to have your head buried in the sand to think there isn’t something nefarious going on here and that it involves performance-enhancing drugs.

Yes, 60 Minutes could have tried harder to have a more balanced report, and maybe that just didn’t fit its agenda. Yes, we are doing better. But let’s not pretend that our problems aren’t serious one that desperately need to be addressed. That was the gist of the 60 Minutes piece, and they didn’t get that part wrong.

TDN – Bill Finley – What 60 Minutes Got Wrong, and What It Got Right

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.

John F Kennedy

Los Angeles Times – Patt Morrison – What gives L.A. that Thanksgiving feeling? It certainly isn’t the weather

The Conversation – Christina Gish Hill – Returning the ‘three sisters’ – corn, beans and squash – to Native American farms nourishes people, land and cultures

Rolling Stone – Jason Diamond – Why ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ Is the Ultimate Thanksgiving Movie

Paulick Report – The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: 2023 Turkey Awards

Today

Sports Business Journal – Amazon hopes to combine football, shopping in Black Friday extravaganza

He shared handle figures for the current meet, showing total betting off a little more than 5% from 2022 and wagering down more than 8% in Ontario. These figures follow drops by United States tracks such as Del Mar, Saratoga Race Course, and Keeneland this summer and fall.

Bloodhorse – Byron King – Woodbine Announces King’s Plate Date, Reports Handle

Canadian Thoroughbred – Jennifer Morrison – Woodbine Updates Horsepeople on Dates, Wagering, Taylor Turf

Phil has a question:

Isn’t it refreshing when a track respects its fans and participants and keeps them updated.

TDN – Three Graded Events on Holiday Menu

Horse Race Insider – John Pricci – TURKEY, CRANBERRY SAUCE, PUMPKIN PIE… WITH A HELPING OF VALUE ON THE SIDE

Bloodhorse – Bob Ehalt – Holiday a Time for Thanks and Prayers for Mott

Bloodhorse – Eric Mitchell – Somelikeithotbrown to Enter Stud at Cabin Creek Farm

Zombie

Bloodhorse – Dec. 26 Action Kicks Off Santa Anita’s 2023-24 Stakes

Paulick Report – RTCA: Dan Fick Honored With Community Service Award, David Pope Named Winner Of White Horse Award

The Score – Brenden Deeg – Colts’ Irsay blames 2014 arrest on prejudice against ‘rich, white billionaire’

Phil has a question:

Does Isray have any idea how little anyone cares about his white privilege problems.

Other than Isray who gives a fuck about why a drug addled addict was arrested for driving while under the influence of narcotics.

Does Isray know how many thousands of Baltimorians are including thanks to the arresting officers today in their Thanksgiving Day grace.

The Ringer – Katie Baker – OpenAI Tried to Fire Sam Altman. It Only Made Him More Powerful.

The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of liberty.

Abraham Lincoln

Front Office Sports – Eric Fisher – U.S. Sports Betting On Pace To Hit $100B In Wagers

Southern Living – Kimberley Holland – Old Forester Releases Rarest Bottle Of Bourbon Yet For 150th Anniversary

Southern Living – Bourbon Ice Cream Float Recipe

Phil has a question:

Why would you desecrate good Bourbon with ice cream.

Why would you desecrate food ice cream with bourbon.

TDN – Stud Fees Central To Correcting November Polarization

Southern Living – Abigail Wilt – Surprise Your Thanksgiving Hostess With A Three-Course Doughnut “Feast” From McCormick

TDN – Ship and Win Program Returns at Santa Anita

TDN – Britney Eurton Leaves FanDuel TV

“History,” said Napoleon Bonaparte, “is a set of lies agreed upon.” That sound you hear 200 years later is Ridley Scott banging his fist on a table with appreciation before shooting a scene in which the man known as “The Nightmare of Europe” literally fires a cannon at the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The Ringer – Adam Nayman – Ridley Scott Is Daring You to Watch ‘Napoleon’

Bloodhorse – Alan Porter – Nysos Latest Stakes Winner for Improving Nyquist

Paulick Report – Woodbine: Apprentice Desean Bynoe Suffers Broken Leg In Starting Gate Incident

Bloodhorse – The Jockey Club of Canada Announces New Industry Award

Bloodhorse – Bob Ehalt – 8-Year-Old Campaign May Be Ahead for Casa Creed

Paulick Report – Ray Paulick – New Regulations Will Require Minimum 21 Days To Be Licensed In Texas

Paulick Report – Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner Accelerate Will Be Relocated To Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall Of Champions

The Ringer – Steven Ruiz – What Actually Makes a Good NFL Offensive Coordinator? And Are There Fewer of Them in 2023?

Sports Illustrated – Albert Breer – Inside the Jets’ QB Plan for Zach Wilson and Why It Blew Up

Phil has a question:

Is the problem with the OCs or with the burgeoning sports team bureaucracies where there’s more coaches and managers than players.

Reflect upon your present blessings—of which every man has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

Charles Dickens

Paulick Report – Jena Antonucci Named 2023 Winner Of Big Sport Of Turfdom Award

TDN – Chris McGrath – Spendthrift’s Fab Four Taking Freshman Title To The Wire

Get Back

TDN – Boarman Declared BCBC Winner

Paulick Report – Breeders’ Cup Winner Fierceness Made 15-1 Individual Choice In Second Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Paulick Report – Arcangelo, Cody’s Wish Among 2023 Nominees For Secretariat Vox Populi Award

The Conversation – Rober Norman Buliung – The 15-minute city is a popular planning approach, but relies on ableist assumptions

TDN – Letter to the Editor: Vicky Leonard

TDN – Letter to the Editor: Bloodstock Agent Jason Litt

Bloodhorse – Eric Mitchell – Following Sea to Stand at Rivard Stables in Manitoba

Paulick Report – Natalie Voss – This Week In History: Seabiscuit’s First Crop Readies For The Track

Bloodhorse – Bob Ehalt – No Fatal Breakdowns During Seven Months at Oklahoma

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Fourteen Thanksgiving Drinks

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Twelve Vegetable-Packed Sides for Thanksgiving

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Fourteen Comforting Side Dishes You Need at Thanksgiving

Garden and Gun – Sadie Chafe – Eleven Recipes for Your Main Thanksgiving Dish

The Ringer – Alex Kirshner – How Michigan Morphed Into the University of Jim Harbaugh

The Ringer – Lex Pryor – André 3000’s Multiverse of Music

Most rock journalism is people who can’t write, interviewing people who can’t talk, for people who can’t read.

Frank Zappa

Most sports journalism is people who can’t write, interviewing people who can’t talk, for people who can’t read and when the people who can’t talk don’t say anything the people that can’t write make something up.

Frank Zappa updated by Phil

TSN – CP – Alouettes rally to beat Blue Bombers to take 110th Grey Cup

TSN – Dave Naylor – Als leave ownership woes in the past with Grey Cup win

SportsNet – David Morassutti – Alouettes’ belief set the stage for improbable Grey Cup win over Blue Bombers

Green Day

Garden and Gun – Southern Women Spotlight: Rosalynn Carter

Horse Race Insider – John Pricci – THE LEGEND OF BOBBY USSERY

Paulick Report – Asmussen’s Youngest Son To Make Riding Debut Wednesday At Churchill Downs

Paulick Report – Jim Chavrat – Grass Racing Takes Center Stage Next Two Weeks At Del Mar

Bloodhorse – Molly Rollins – Nysos Oh So Nice in Bob Hope Romp

TDN – ‘TDN Rising Star’ Nysos Ascends Skyward In Bob Hope

Paulick Report – ‘A Real Pro’: Rising Star Nysos Powers Unchallenged To Bob Hope Victory

Bloodhorse – Laurel Winter Meet Includes 17 Stakes Worth $1.8M

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Graham Dench – ‘In the end, the bad outweighed the good’ – jockey Jack Gilligan reflects on life in the US as he returns to Newmarket

The Ringer – Ben Solak – The Hot Read, Week 11: The Race for the No. 1 Pick Is Heating Up

Sports Illustrated – Albert Breer – NFL Week 11 Takeaways: No One Will Complain About Watching the Lions on Thanksgiving This Year

The Score – Dan Wilkins – Key takeaways and analysis from Week 11 in the NFL

Marriage is a great institution, but I’m not ready for an institution.

Mae West

Built Tough was crowned the 2023 Canadian Global Bull of the Year, also collecting a $10,000 bonus. The commanding bovine athlete concluded the regular season atop the standings with a 44.6-point average, 0.2 points ahead of No. 2 contender Langham Kid (Two Bit Bucking Bulls).

Built Tough’s outing in the championship round, which earned him a bull score of 43 points clinched him the year-end honor. He finished a razor-thin 0.04 points ahead of reserve Bull of the Year Blue Magic (Outlaw Buckers Rodeo Corp.).

Blue Magic and Grand Funk (Kinky Buckers) tied for the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the National Finals. Each animal athlete posted a National Finals-best 44-point bull score. Blue Magic earned the score when he teamed with Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska) for an event-best 89.75-point score in the championship round, while Grand Funk delivered the top marks in Round 2 when he upended Wyatt Gleeson (Sundre, Alberta) in 4.41 seconds in Round 2.

Nansen Vold was crowned the 2023 PBR Canada Stock Contractor of the Year for an unprecedented 10^th time, including the past eight consecutive seasons.

PBR – Casie Albert – Dakota Buttar Crowned 2023 PBR Canada Champion

The Lonely Bull

Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?

Groucho Marx

The Ringer – Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey – The Rewatchables: ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ | Gere’s Best Film?

Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Nancy Sexton – Stellar bloodlines on offer at Irish breeding stock sales

CTV – AP – Cheers! Bottle of Scotch whisky sells for a record US$2.7 million at auction

Phil’s quick arithmetic says that’s $3,600.00US a milliltre.

First We Take Manhattan

Secularism is categorically not saying that the religious may not speak out publicly or have a say in public life. It is about saying that religion alone should not confer a privileged say in public life, or greater influence on it. It really is as simple as that.

Richard Dawkins

Bloodhorse – Ortiz Jr. Posts Five Wins Nov. 18 at Aqueduct

First We Take Manhattan

The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, skepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin.

Thomas Huxley

Front Office Sports – Eric Fisher – One Philly Arena Or Two? Division Grows Between Sixers, Flyers Owners

I was typecast for a long time. A lot of people thought all Divine could do was play a loud, beefy blonde.

Divine

Bon Appetit – Sommelier Tries a $1,500 Bottle of Red Wine

Phil’s quick arithmetic says that’s $2.00US a milliltre, the same price as a bottle of Two Buck Chuck.

Phil has a question:

Who got to drink the rest of the bottle.

Aren’t sommeliers supposed to look like some snooty arrogant French asshole with attitude.

Harlan Estate

French Kiss

Sports Illustrated – Pat Forde – Michigan Has Gotten Curiously Quiet on Its Sign-Stealing Scandal