JC / Railbird

Kentucky Derby

Even Steven

Save for the exacta in the ninth race I’ve come up with squadouche today. I hardly even had the sniff of a thrill most of the day, but I think this last race presents tremendous value in #9 Persistent Penny at 6-to-1.
I have to play her to win at that price, but I might get jazzy underneath since #5 Tates Queen is 9-to-1. The others who figure are #4 Great Thought, #7 Light Showers, and #10 Splendorella.

Posted in Racing on May 2, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on Even Steven

I Wish the Hits

… wouldn’t keep coming.
Minutes after Chelokee was vanned off the track, word came through in the press box that Legendary Racing Hall of Fame trainer Frank Whiteley died.
Stronach, Frankel, and Bejarano, winners of the Louisville Handicap and the Alysheba are the only ones having a good day, I think.
Racing is always funny that way. It’s such a tremendous accomplishment to win a stakes race, and it’s tough to balance good cheer for connections with proper respect for bad circumstances.
RIP, Frank Whiteley, and godspeed Chelokee, who is en route to Rood and Riddle in Lexington after suffering a condylar fracture in his right front leg.

Posted in Racing on May 2, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on I Wish the Hits

Committing

Enough handicapping, it’s time for me to commit to my top Derby picks: Gayego, Colonel John, Z Fortune, Eight Belles, Smooth Air. No analysis; I’ve spent so much time with the past performances and reading the opinions of others these past couple days that I’ve been stricken with a case of writer’s block on the subject. I’ll be back later, though, with details of the ticket that Ed and I are splitting.

Posted in Racing on May 2, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / 3 comments