Big Races & Big Anticipation

Yesterday at the Red Mile there were a few big tilts.

Wishing Stone won the Futurity in straight heats. This colt was my Hambo bet this year, looking for a score. Why do most of my picks win like 4 months after I bet them? I know, I know, it happens to all of us. :) Seriously, this is a really nice horse. Lucky Chucky is severely talented, but the sound grinders like this guy tend to get good late. He should have a nice 4YO year, in my opinion.

One More Laugh got the job done in his 3YO pacing division, as did Rock n' Roll Heaven. Twice now Rock n' Roll has tried for a track record. You can only go to the well so often with a horse and I hope that is the last time we see that. We have seen his bottom now so there is no need to put on a show.

Secretariat the movie is gaining some steam. I see it had a really nice hold, as good movies tend to have. It seems it is well on its way to becoming a late release success.

Zenyatta talk is dominating the airwaves and chat boards and press. Is there any doubt this Breeders Cup Classic will be the most watched ever, by a mile? Casual fans are completely in love with her. Haters on some chat boards want to see her get demolished (why, I can not quite figure that out). There will be cheering and jeering come Saturday, Classic day. And this year it will be under the lights to boot. Wowsa, what a show.

We're back to Woodbine for the harness meet. What to look for? People seem to lament on speed being good there, and that is true. But where isn't speed good in harness racing? With new equipment, better gaited horses, better breeding and better racetracks, this game is all speed. Even at the Meadowlands where in history this track has been kinder to closers, the drivers do not pull and go anymore; they sit half in and half out and wait and wait. Until the judges start hammering drivers who do that (and not those ridiculous pre-slot $100 fines), expect to see less and less flow and more and more speed.

I heard that the Australian handle numbers for the Breeders Crown were not bad this year. Kudos to them. I got a note from someone there this week saying "we are really focusing on betting now." Let's hope they can get Woodbine to do something next year. It will probably have to pass nine meetings and some sort of internal commission, but maybe, just maybe we will see a low take seeded bet next year there, for example.