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6642. wabbit - 5/4/2014 10:17:29 PM I never bet favorites, but should have bet on Chrome at 4/1 when I had the chance. I didn't bet this race, too many horses and at least ten had a real shot if Chrome didn't get his race (which he did). My sister and I play on paper - I did have 2nd-4th, and will be looking for Wicked Strong and Danza in the Belmont. And how about Commanding Curve making a run at the end to get second - he was my long shot. 6643. wabbit - 5/18/2014 2:04:02 PM 
California Chrome won again and now has a shot at the Triple Crown. I don't know if he can get the distance, but I'll be rooting for him. I'd love to see a modestly bred horse win.
Ride On Curlin finally got a good ride, but came up short and finished a good second. I was surprised that Social Inclusion didn't have a better race, finishing third next to General a Rod, who got fourth.
I thought the Preakness was a better race than the Derby. No excuses for anyone.
6644. wabbit - 5/19/2014 4:48:20 PM Three stewards at Belmont Park on Monday unanimously approved the nasal strips for all horses running at racetracks of the New York Racing Association, effective immediately.
"Equine nasal strips do not enhance equine performance nor do they pose a risk to equine health or safety and as such do not need to be regulated," New York State Gaming Commission Equine Medical Director Scott E. Palmer wrote in his analysis of the strips. He added that strips are applied to the top of the nose and anyone can see their use prior to a race.
"If improperly applied, equine nasal strips cannot interfere with performance. In my opinion equine nasal strips fall into the same category as tongue-ties," Palmer wrote.
While there is research that indicates nasal strips decrease airway resistance in horses and may decrease the amount of bleeding associated with exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), there is no evidence that the strips enable a horse to run faster, Palmer wrote... Finally.6645. wabbit - 6/8/2014 3:07:13 PM I still like California Chrome, and he did have an excuse. He got a good gash on the back of his right front hoof and still ran a very game race. Both Tonalist and Commissioner had run in the Peter Pan four weeks earlier and finished 1-2. Contrary to what some people are saying, those legs were no more fresh than Medal Count, Wicked Strong and Ride On Curlin, all of whom skipped the Preakness, so had five weeks between races. Tonalist didn't qualify for the Derby because he developed a lung infection in March and missed most of the qualifying races.
Have a look at the finish. The first five horses are two lengths apart. That's a damn fine finish after 1-1/2 miles imho.
Note to Steve Coburn - shut up already. You got to smack Churchill Downs after winning the Preakness (against new shooters, btw), but because you didn't win the Belmont, you cry sour grapes. Get over yourself. Maybe you would have been better received at CD if you hadn't rolled in there as a VERY LUCKY first time owner who now knows everything and has all the answers. You have a good horse. Be happy that you've gotten to ride this ride and button your lip.
Generations ago, it was not out of the ordinary for top horses to run back quickly. In fact, the first Triple Crown winner was Sir Barton in 1919, who won the Withers Stakes in between his Preakness and Belmont victories.
Omaha did the same in 1935, although he actually finished second in the Withers. In 1941, Whirlaway won an allowance race in between the Preakness and Belmont wins. Count Fleet, the 1943 Triple Crown winner, sneaked in a victory in the Withers Stakes between his Preakness and Belmont. The 1948 Triple Crown winner, Citation, won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness; he won the Jersey Stakes two weeks later and then won the Belmont Stakes. Now, if you want to change something, how about we start breeding fewer thoroughbreds? How about we get serious about drug use in racing? I wouldn't have a huge objection to spreading the races out, the current format hasn't always been the way these races were run. But for crying out loud, take a lesson from your horse, learn to handle winning and losing with a little dignity and graciousness.6646. arkymalarky - 6/8/2014 4:02:08 PM I kept checking in yesterday for your write up! you provide the best context in the shortest space anywhere. 6647. wabbit - 6/8/2014 4:56:14 PM The horse that surprised me was Ride On Curlin, I thought for sure he'd be in the mix and he finished last, bled out even with Lasix (he'll be ok). I keep waiting to see a good ride on this horse and really hoped Johnny V would be the one, but am happy he had the sense not to push the horse beyond his limits in this race. btw, I meant to remove ROC from my original comment, he ran all three TC races and was second in the Preakness. Note to self - EDIT.
Speaking of ROC, his owner is small time just like CC's owners - he's a furniture dealer who bought the horse for $25,000 and has him trained by Bronco Billy Gowan, not exactly a big name in racing. 6648. wabbit - 6/8/2014 5:32:57 PM Some perspective on the Triple Crown from the NY Sun. 6649. wabbit - 6/8/2014 5:54:29 PM Rafa Nadal just won his ninth French Open over Novak Djokovic, winning three sets after dropping the first.
Yesterday, Maria Sharapova won her 2nd French Open in three years in three sets over Simona Halep. 6650. judithathome - 6/8/2014 6:42:27 PM JMO (heh) but I think to "win the Triple Crown" horses should compete in all three races...Tonalist won the Belmont, period. I've actually seen one person say Tonalist won the triple crown...obviously a moron but still, I wonder how many people out there even understand this set up.
I agree with Arky...best write-ups on horse racing all around crown should go to Wabbit! 6651. robertjayb - 6/8/2014 10:02:31 PM Yes. I've been waiting for the wabbit report. 6652. alistairconnor - 6/26/2014 6:35:31 PM Go Ghana go!
I was watching Germany/USA but I've switched to Ghana/Portugal for the last minutes... can Ghana score again and knock out the USA? 6653. alistairconnor - 6/26/2014 6:41:09 PM Ah but no...
The Ghanaian keeper just gifted a goal to Ronaldo... just laid it up nicely. Ah well.
Not that I'm being anti-Yanqui here. I just find the Ghana saga so entertaining, I would have liked to see it continue in the second round. Talk about backbiting. 6654. iiibbb - 6/26/2014 11:10:52 PM Soccer sucks. 6655. alistairconnor - 6/27/2014 4:34:51 PM Please expand. As recently as four years ago, we could still discuss it here...
Good football, and so much weirdness to boot. Apparently, in the Algeria-Russia game, the Russian keeper complained a spectator was shining a laser in his eyes when he let the goal through... 6656. alIstaIrcOnnOr - 7/2/2014 8:49:35 AM What about it, iii? Did you watch the game?
Belgium 2 - 1 USA.
Perhaps the best in the tournament so far (if you like chaos and never-say-die heroics, and dislike physical violence and drama-queen histrionics. As I do.) USA didn't deserve to win, but it would have been no robbery if they had. Special mention for Tim Howard, who set a World Cup record with his fifteen saves :
All of the round-two matches followed the "heroic underdogs hold out but have their hopes dashed at the last minute" scenario. To the extent that I picked them all. 6657. alIstaIrcOnnOr - 7/2/2014 9:18:29 AM
Are these two men related? Two heroic goalkeepers, both shipped two goals in extra time. One is Raïs M'Bohlhi of Algeria, the other is Tim Howard of the USA. But which is which?6658. webfeet - 7/8/2014 1:21:48 AM Wow. Freres Jumeaux--or something. I enjoyed the previous posts, Wabbit's horse-racing commentary (my dad loved to bet at Belmont); and the man wItH thE cLocKwoRk oRaNgE spelling of his name. New moniker? Weird, cheri. Très weird.
I would like to say we are all grieving after les Bleus lost, but it was really like, okay, now what's for lunch? Business as usual around here, for pere and fils. personellement, I never thought France would win but I have no vested interest in the game. 6659. wabbit - 7/12/2014 4:27:26 PM I'm behind here, again.
Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in a great final 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-4 in three hours and 56 minutes, thus regaining the world No.1 spot for the first time since September last year. I was rooting for Fed and was happy to see him make it to the final. In the women's final, Petra Kvitova crushed Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-0 in just 55 minutes.
Le Tour: Henceforth all cyclists will be issued cricket bats for clearing their path of bystanders taking selfies. Riders who succeed in knocking bystanders over will have five seconds removed from their time. Ok, not true. Stage 8 is today and Vincenzo Nibali wears the yellow jersey.
World Cup: Brazil meets the Netherlands today in the consolation match. Argentina and Germany play in the final tomorrow. 6661. arkymalarky - 7/12/2014 5:25:29 PM crap. Messed up the margins and I'm on my phone. Sorry wabbit! But that video so encompasses this ridiculous self absorption. idiot google/android did some stupid update on its keypad and now the microphone is in a different place and the text doesn't wrap anymore. 6662. wabbit - 7/12/2014 7:20:36 PM Deleted #6660, here is the link:
music video for "Selfie"
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