2009 Belmont Stakes - Borel's curtain call

Borel's mount is set.
Preakness winner to skip out, for no apparent reason.

http://www.belmontstakes.com/story/2009/5/29/rachel-out-of-belmont-stakes-borel-to-ride-bird/

 

The Belmont isn't over six furlongs.

 

On a somewhat related note:
On a tip, I bet a horse from Hollywood Park last weekend while in Vegas.
Zenyatta was it's name.
Had won 10 straight races since May of 08.
Came from five back after they rounded the turn and won going away.
Paid 1-to-9
I got my $100 back plus $20. Anyone ever heard of this horse?

 

Awful closing odds, but nobody was taking any of the other horses.
The closest was about 15-1.

Exacta was 9-7, with the seventh horse considered as being the only potential contender.

The bet was just about the only winning play I made while I was there.
Spent over $1,000 in the casinos.

 

Um, yeah. Heard of that horse.
Best filly in the country. (Some tip you got there).
Will kick 'Alexandra's ass in the Breeders' Cup, if Rachel wants to show up and play.

 

If you think coming five-back was impressive, watch the Ladies Classic from last year's Breeders' Cup. Yep, that's her in last and six-wide on the final turn.
She comes from that deep in all her races. The crowds love to watch her race...

 

. . . a running style ideally-suited to Mike Smith . . .

 

If you follow horse racing, absolutely.

Not to rain on your parade, but it wasn't much of a tip you received. At 1-9 odds, everyone and their brother also bet it. But anytime you walk away from the windows with more money than what you bet, that's a good thing.

 

Even so, too much can go wrong to justify taking 1-10. Your horse could get boxed in, break down, get DQ'd, get left at the gate, or simply receive a ride so incompetent that not even
Zenyatta could overcome it.

 

Pardon me, Mr. Cannon. Is my table in 1952 ready yet?

 

Ha.

Some of us still care, because in the betting on races under the pari-mutuel system,
the public still makes enough grotesque mistakes for the dedicated to exploit.

"52 was all right. Minoso and Mantle were second-year men (Mays, too, I believe), and
the good-looking women looked REALLY good. Baby boom? No wonder.