Yo Chillin'

Here's a pic of Movement enjoying the snow in the Sierra foothills. Farm manager Nicole says that she's really enjoying playing in the snow, bucking and kicking in the pasture with another filly.

TVG Drama

TVG had their big meeting Tuesday that on air personalities and other TVG personnel had been publicizing for some time now. Ostensibly they are trying to improve their product and are discussing new ideas. Some have speculated that they will also be addressing how to deal with the loss of Churchill tracks. I heard Mike Joyce joke on The Quarters that when he goes on vacation later this week, he might just have to leave his TVG badge behind. Although Joyce was clearly cracking wise, since they will likely lose substantial revenue near term as a result of losing Churchill, they may very well need to trim staff.

Recently there have been some good discussions in the comment sections of some fellow horse racing blogs. See Left at the Gate and these two posts from Pulling Hair. It's also very refreshing to see Dan Illman comment discuss frankly, without a politician's filter, some of the problems with TVG, HRTV & general distribution issues in Racing.

If anyone has any insight into what when on in the TVG meeting and what the prognosis over there is, please pipe up in the comments section.

--Much of the DRF staff and other elite handicappers and press members are already in Las Vegas as they prepare for the 2007 Horseplayers Expo. I would love to be a fly on the wall when DRF folks are getting smashed in Vegas and burning up the tables after the race books close.

I think it's only a matter of time before you start seeing DRF slash fiction sprinkled around the innerweb.

Tote Board Brad Published in Form

My letter to the Daily Racing Form editor [free subscription required, 4th letter down] regarding the dispute between Beulah Park and Ohio horsemen (drf story here) was published.

This is the first time I have written a letter to the DRF editor, and it's flattering that they included it among those they printed. At first my letter named Beulah owner Charlie Ruma instead of "track management" but after discussing it with an editor I agreed to change it. Beyond that, DRF editors changed my text only slightly, presumably to comply with their standards since I write like a blogger, and the letter is better for it. Probably the most substantial change they made was converting simpletons to simplistic thinkers. I believe calling the Charlie Rumas of the world thinkers, regardless of the modifier, is charitable. Nonetheless, I understand the Form not wanting a letter to appear like a hatchet job.

Bug Girl Gets Attention

Thanks to Racing Dispatch for pointing this li'l treasure out about a "saucy Brazilian" jockey [.pdf warning, & borderline NSFW] that has been turning heads at the racetrack in Rio. I've been to that track in Rio, and it's spectacular, but I saw no jocks as striking as this apprentice.

For my Portugese speaking readership, here's a clip about her on the local news broadcast.

TBA Meet-Up in South Florida

The forecast calls for pastel chinos and straw hat, with a slight chance of Cohiba Robusto.

A more full report on Gulfstream Park and the South Florida racing scene to come, but some brief tidying is necessary. In the meantime, John of Not to the Swift and Rubin of Average Horseplayer will likely be more timely about updates on our morning spent with (or at least in close proximity of) Birdbirdistheword, Invasor, Jazil, Better Talk Now, Kenny McPeek, Kieran Mclaughlin, Nick Zito, Dale Romans, Michael Matz, and other superstars of our sport.

-Thanks to Vic Stauffer for tipping me off to Le Tub for a spectacular burger and a an even better view along the waterfront. I also got an eyefull of some 50 year boob, as a boisterous boomer lectured her daughter and friends that flashing your tits on spring break is not sexy. "See. I pulled my shirt up. Is that cool?" (I believe the irony was lost on her). The exposure elicited some shrieking from the girls, but no one else seemed to notice. For someone likely eligible to Join AARP, she had a decent set, though.

-Sadly, I am unable to procure the Richard Dutrow autograph requested by Steve Miyadi, as Dutrow is currently ruled off. Perhaps Steve can join Dutrow and Frankel for Carnival in Rio (See Jay Privman's 2/14/07 column Racing to Rio for the big dance [subscription only] in the Racing From). I think the three of them would look good in feathers and high heels.

Golden Gate Fields Closing Day

Yesterday was getaway day at Golden Gate Fields, as the Nor Cal circuit shifts to Bay Meadows on Wednesday. After all the rain we have received, the track was very uneven. Pictured left, Jamey walked the track before his entry Purpley ran, finding the surface lightning quick on the rail. There were also some good spots around the 4 or 5 path, but the rest was rather deep. Purpley broke slowly and could not do better than 6th on a track that played to speed horses on the rail.

Despite my recent illustration of a trainer's occasionally laborious and mundane backstretch tasks, it's not all hard work around the barn. I caught Jamey and Dave lounging in the tack room after morning training had concluded and before the races.

Blog Administrative Notes

Please be patient as I add labels to my old posts. This may take a while, but in the next few weeks I hope to have the archives fully labeled.

To fill the void between sparse posts, here's a pic of trainer Jamey Thomas plying his trade on the backstretch. Training racehorses is very glamorous.

In other news, Firetrail, the Junior Coffee trained filly that finished 2nd and 3 lengths ahead of Movement in her last race, won a Maiden Allowance with a $30k purse today at Golden Gate Fields.

Lastly, good luck to Purpley in the 5th tomorrow at Golden Gate.