PALACE MALICE AND THE OO'S AFTER HIS NAME: OXBOW AND ORB

Palace Malice after winning the 2013 Belmont Stakes

Todd Pletcher trained Palace Malice with Mike Smith aboard.

O: Oxbow (2nd in The Belmont).

O no: Orb (3rd in The Belmont).

Orb

Saturday's 145th running of the Belmont Stakes left me feeling like Christmas was over and Santa didn't bring me anything.  Although, the only money I made all day was on Oxbow who I couldn't believe went off at 10/1 after winning the Preakness and being trained but D. Wayne Lukas.  I guess some people were still peeved about the second jewel.  Get over it.  The first rule of betting on horses is, "NO EMOTIONAL BETTING" or you'll go broke.  You can't bet horses simply because you like the connections, or female jockey, or color of the horse, or his name and you can't not bet them for the same reasons.  A rule I need to remember to get my head out of my ass.  It cost me money yesterday.
Firstly the atmosphere this year wasn't anything like last year and the day before's weather had damped my spirits. I opted not to back Integrity because I've got a lot of it and it has never done me any good.  Next bad choice was being a moron and not backing Moreno because his name was screaming out to me also.

Moreno, (who paid $18.80)

Power Broker, definitely looked the best horse in the Easy Goer but had drawn the two hole and if the boys of New York, boxed Rosie in down on the fence, she would never get around them; that's how they are here.  So she went to the front early and as assistant trainer, John Terranova said, "kept him out of trouble" to win.  It only works if you have a horse that can do it.  As much as I love Rosie there's a reason she quit riding in New York full-time.  It has nothing to do with being a woman, the jocks here don't let any outsiders into their colony.  How many Triple Crown prospects have we seen come unstuck because of them?  The words to the song should read: "New York, New York you can make it anywhere, just not here."

 The kind eye of Power Broker

The beautiful Power Broker and Rosie Napravnik.

(If a woman doesn't make a fool of you a horse will). 

Stephanie's Kitten, was a no brainer I didn't expect to pay that well in the Just a Game Stakes.  Declan's Warrior, beaten in the Woody Stephens by the good-looking Forty Tails, I had won on last time out when he only just got the money.

Declan's Warrior looking very calm.

Point of Entry and Optimizer in that order, were a given written in stone but paid poorly in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap.  I was more than ready for a Woodford's but friends don't let friends drink and gamble.

Point of Entry, just another Phipps champion superhorse.

It would seem I just can't multitask at the track.  I can't concentrate on betting and taking pictures at the same time and vice versa.  My camera skills however with the new equipment might have improved since the Preakness and I finally got a shot of Orb.  I'm looking forward to seeing these horses over the summer at Saratoga.  Many contenders yesterday show good potential and the ability to improve making for an interesting carnival at the Spa.

Freedom Child supporters

 The Paddock at Belmont on the 40th Anniversary of Secretariat's Triple Crown win.

(He gets a blanket of white carnations every year, and no he is not buried here.  He's at Claiborne Farm outside the office window).

 Me in a vintage pillbox going against the fashion trend of big hats and looking kind of frumpy.

The outrider's horses were fabulous with white carnations in their braids.