A Horseplayer’s (Culture) Diary
A rumored riff on a legendary handicapper and Stendhal doesn’t appear, but Moshe Diane* at Saratoga does, between Yves Klein and silent films.
Speaking of well-named horses, Crown of Thorns returns in the Pat O’Brien at Del Mar on Saturday. I remember thinking the now 5-year-old would be a factor in the 2008 classic races. Instead, he was away 19 months due to injury. This time, he’s coming off a layoff of nearly 10 months. His last race was the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, in which he finished second by a nose.
There are so many reasons this won’t happen any time soon, but give Alan Shuback credit for tossing the idea out there: To save America’s graded stakes, eliminate pari-mutuel clerks and outriders.
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