Wet Day Can’t Spoil Triple Crown
BY JIM WELLS A frequent patron of the races stuck his head outside the front door early Saturday to encounter a heavy rain. “Well,” he responded, “Canterbury Park must have something big planned today.” There has been no better forecast of the weather this spring/summer than the schedule at the Shakopee racetrack. If a big […]
The Thrill of Victory
“To see this horse finally do something–for a while I was starting to think maybe it’s never going to happen. It’s changed, it’s too tough–maybe it’s the breed. It’s not the breed. You just have to wait for these superior horses to come around. They don’t come around that often.” – Bob Baffert, trainer of […]
Race of the Week – Belmont Stakes
The rite of spring for three year old thoroughbreds meets its conclusion this Saturday in the Belmont Stakes. With two strong Triple Crown victories in the books, one would think the winners would scare more runners off – not the case. A nearly capacity gate of fourteen is lined up for the final leg of […]
New Year’s Horse Racing Resolutions
We all make them – Lose weight, get out more, travel, kick the bad habit – and we’ve all broken one at some point. While the sport of horse racing has made some vast improvements and successfully embarked on some new safety initiatives, there are just some things that don’t seem to change… Here are some New […]
Who is Your Horse of the Year?
As 2012 draws to a close, the debate over the Horse of the Year heats up. It’s a contentious group this year without any overwhelming favorite. Who did you think was the best of 2012? Here’s a look at the field: Fort Larned – He’d fit the mold of HOY most years, winning the Breeders’ Cup […]
The End of the Trail – The Belmont Stakes
We see overwhelming morning line favorites scratch occasionally. In the Belmont? The eve of a possible triple crown? Once in a blue moon. While one balloon bursts for 2012, another gets a shot of air: The Belmont is now a viable betting race. We’ll have two horses taking the majority of the money as opposed […]
History Says We’ll Have Another… Near Miss
Many racing (and non-racing) fans would be thrilled to witness the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. They clamor for this unlikely accomplishment to boost racing’s national profile. I’m not one of those people. For the record, I’m rooting against a win by I’ll Have Another on Saturday. I believe the elusiveness of such a […]
Triple Crown Hysteria
Before I keyboard another sentence, I want to say that I think that all this Triple Crown hysteria is pretty stupid. I say this for two reasons: first, I’m going to get a lot of clicks on this piece, because everyone who Googles “Gelfand stupid” will read this monograph. Second, I really do think that the Triple […]
Local Stakes & Preakness Elicit Excitement
Now the conjecture begins. Not since Affirmed outdueled Alydar in 1978 has horse racing had such potential for history to repeat itself… or not. The similarities are certain to be pointed out ad infinitum, even ad nauseam, in the coming days, right up to post time for the Belmont Stakes if both horses do indeed run. If […]
2012 Preakness Preview
Following the excitement of opening night on Friday at Canterbury, we’ll keep the energy in the building high on Saturday with the simulcast the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico! While it is sometimes overshadowed by its Triple Crown Mates (The Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes), this Mile and 3/16th journey provides a grueling test of its own: […]
