"Who's going to beat him?" my father asked, referring of course to Big Brown in today's Preakness. "On paper, there's no horse in that race who has his credentials."
He's probably right, although as we all know, anything can happen. For what's it worth, I like Icabod Crane as well as Riley Tucker, but I honestly don't think anyone can beat Big Brown if he's on his game.
That, of course, is the six million dollar question and actually it may not even matter if Big Brown in 100%, the field looks that weak. It is pouring today which may make the track softer if they don't seal it, but the forecast is for clear skies and breezy conditions tomorrow.
My father did say, however, that if Big Brown does not win, he won't be in the money and the show payoffs will look like batting averages. Don't waste your money on a 1-2 shot. Bet Place and Show and you may win some back.
I actually haven't decided whether or not I will watch the race--I probably will find it hard not to, but that is supposed to be the point of all these boycotts--and in the end it will depend on where I am when the race goes off. In other words, I am not going to rearrange my day to make sure I am in front of the television at 6:15 Eastern Standard Time.
In other news, the autopsy results revealed that Eight Belles did not have a heart attack, so my hunch was wrong. It makes her tragic demise even more tragic, in my opinion, because it may have been avoidable if she had run in the Oaks. Maybe not. That's what makes horse racing.
On the undercard today is the second running of the Barbaro Stakes, won last year fittingly by the Michael Matz trained Chelokee. I am sure the Jacksons will be on hand to present the trophy in what will, once again, be a bittersweet reminder of how far horse racing still has to go to overcome its negative image. Look for NBC to remind us as well.
And for the record, I have no dire feelings about the Preakness. Maybe its because I'm still a bit numb from the Derby.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
When I have been asking friends about their "pick" for today's race, the "odds on" response has been, "I am so NOT going to watch the Preakness". Their reason? They are scared to watch.
After Eight Belles' tragic accident at the KD, the dread of another horror is frightening people away from racing. I am repeatedly told that until racing is much safer for the horses and jockies, they cannot support the sport, by attending, or watching in the comfort of their living room.
I myself am conflicted. And while I, like those who will be watching are hoping for the end of the Triple Crown draught. Can Brown do the job? I worry about his feet. I love his size and bone structure. He is built like a tank! And that is a good thing, but with his stature on such vulnerable hooves, I worry.. a lot!
So I send prayers to the Equine Gods to watch over all the horses and protect them. Perhaps the softness of the track will be a boon, but I don't know. I worry!!
In less than 12 hours from my comment, the race will be a thing of the past. Let's hope it goes into the history books as a wonderfully exciting race with no accidents... in fact.. the entire racing schedule will escape injury.
Jo
http://frequentlyfeline.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment