Go Away for a Day …
And the Google Alerts really pile up. Most that landed in my inbox in the past 36 hours are about the Sunshine Millions, the eight races being run today at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I haven’t even looked at the past performances of any of the entrants in these races. It’s been a bad week to get any handicapping time. Others, though, know what’s going on: Bill Christine offers some good analysis (LA Times) and Eddie Mac some picks (ESPN). Also see: Ellis Starr’s thorough look at the Classic (NTRA), and Left at the Gate’s contrarian view on Midas Eyes.
Related: Lost in the Fog could be jockey Russell Baze’s chance at a Derby win. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Unrelated: I saw a mention of this story on the Derby List on Thursday and thought it had to be a joke. Guess it isn’t. Oklahoma Senator Frank Shurden has a plan to save the state gamefowl industry: Give roosters boxing gloves. Cockfighting was banned in Oklahoma in 2002 because of its lethality; gloving the roosters would make the sport non-lethal and fun for all, argues Shurden, who’s filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session. If Shurden’s bill is passed, cockfighting would be monitored by the state’s racing commission and, “Shurden believes it could be incorporated into horse racing, providing the boxing between horse races.” Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. (Sun-Sentinel)
