JC / Railbird - Thursday Morning Links

– Racing journalism has its problems, but access to the sport’s (human) stars isn’t one. In this way, at least, being a niche sport benefits fans and writers, unlike baseball.
– The Quick-Pick inquiry spreads, wild finger pointing begins, and a California state legislator notices that there’s no independent wagering monitor. Uh oh.
– Pittsburg Phil, Noted Plunger, Passes Away. Consumption, such a shame. He was just at Ascot last year.
– Dutrow has yet to confirm post-Belmont plans for Big Brown with IEAH, but he’s considering the Travers and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Curlin vs. Brown — we can dream.
– How they take those pics: Wired at the Preakness Stakes.
– Mike Brunker is looking prescient. Flashback to his April 1 column, in which he not only predicted Big Brown’s Derby win, but went a couple steps further: “This is a colt with the talent to end the 29-year Triple Crown drought …”