Animals Get Ya

Darryl Kaplan wrote an interesting piece in Trot this month discussing how animals really can pull on us.

"As objectively as I can look at it, no human athlete throughout history has been able to reach us emotionally the way a racehorse can. Whether it’s Secretariat, Cam Fella, Barbaro or Admirals Express, there is an attachment we can make with a racehorse that no other sports figure seems capable of." he wrote.

I could not agree more. People are people. They make human decisions and they do what is expected of them, and if they do that, it is not overly moving to me. But a horse, well that is entirely a different matter. To read more of his thoughts, click the link above.

Western Fair has dropped their pick 4 to 15% takeout. Great stuff. HANA profiled the London track today on their blog.

Pacing Guy does not like late odds changes, but who does? He explains his Saturday betting the Meadowlands. Pari-mutuel wagering was invented over 100 years ago. Over time it has lasted, but lasted for one reason : horse racing is a monopoly, unable to look past its nose. This system is archaic, obsolete and embarrassing for a 21st century gambling sport, as proud as horse racing is. In its present form (for win markets) it should have been gone twenty years ago.

One of the most insane arguments against Zenyatta (which you have touched on before) is that she "has not beaten many grade I winning females." Don't laugh - this ridiculous argument has been put forth by many. Jennie Rees, thank goodness, writes about it in huge headlines today:

There's a reason Zenyatta hasn't beaten a Grade I winner this year: She wins all the Grade I races

Way to go Jennie. If a team won four straight Super Bowls a headline would never be that the team was suspect because they have not beaten a Super Bowl winner the last four years, but in racing (with plenty of Zenny bashers) it is commonplace. The people putting forth this argument are either biased, stupid, or both.