Thursday Notes

......... I'm currently out east for Old Home Week and the Gold Cup and Saucer and the weather is about 77F/24C with not a cloud in the sky. Oh, and I have to work. Lovely. Here are some Thursday thoughts.

..... See You At Peelers goes for her 22nd win in a row in the $350k Valley Forge at Chester on Sunday. Thoroughbred fans that are following her streak (via places like Equidaily who have promoted her) must be flummoxed with her schedule, no? Supermare Zenyatta was lucky to be seen once every five or six weeks during her streak, but Peelers is entered like a harness horse. I don't blame them a lick for scratching last time in the soup by the way.

..... This Saturday's Gold Cup and Saucer is heating up. I don't think people outside the sport, or the area really understand what kind of an event this is. Dave Briggs speaks about it today in the Guelph Mercury:

Everyone loves a good party, everyone loves a good race. You get both here,” Anthony said. “Mix in the food, patronage, atmosphere and golf and why wouldn’t you come?”

On Gold Cup & Saucer night, the Charlottetown Driving Park grandstand is packed with fans young, old and in between.

Each horse in the race is represented by an ambassador — a young woman dressed in old fashioned racing silks. During the post parade, the field is introduced via spotlight with the track lighting turned off.

The post-race lobster party normally lasts until dawn.

The article is a must-read. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy about the sport of horse racing, and we need that sometimes.

......... Speaking of must reads, Dana over at Hello Race Fans asked some cappers how they cap. I would not have fit in: I use software and figs, take a rudimentary look at the form to find trainer intent; that's it. Great article!

........ If you are on Twitter it's great to wake up to twitter papers. @sidfernando and @turfnsport have two of the best.

...... Bob McIntosh on twitter informs us that Stevie Condren is going into the Hall of Fame this evening. That's deserved. Steve has been ill the last while and all of racing wishes him well.

...... I have not followed the Saratoga meet at all this season (flame me now; but sheesh, I can't bet it at my ADW and I'd rather eat bees than play into 26% exotic takeouts sans rebate), but is it not lasting longer than octogenarian marathon? How many days is that track running now each summer?

..... Foolish Pleasure writes about Kelso. One of my friends was married this weekend and his middle name is Kelso. His dad was a horse racing fan, and the apple did not fall far from the tree. Good luck Bart.

..... Cangamble no-likely the takeout talk on the McKinsey report.

..... Would someone out there please give @gregreinhart a job in racing? Sheesh, he'd almost work for free and as long as I have not polluted him too much with this blog he is sure to fit in nicely. Like Settlmoir at Toiga, if we have a hundred of him this sport would be much better off.

.... Speaking of folks who should be hired by a track near you, Dan over at Thorotrends mentioned he thought the takeout talk in the McKinsey Report was saying "we did not look at it". I hope so, because marketing the sport versus marketing to bettors and the corresponding customer cultivation, are two separate issues.

Via @njderek on twitter: "The Japanese plan to save horse racing is far more compelling than anything in the McKinsey Report" You be the judge!



...... Enjoy your Thursday folks!