Derby Fever

American Pharaoh (I painted during my layup).

Well, I'm back after not having blogged since The Belmont Stakes and Pharoah winning the Triple Crown.  In July, I finally got it about the Hamptons, why people like it so much, and bought a paddleboard  to help me stay youthful.  Confident I'd found a place I wasn't afraid of sharks and with those romantic Billy Joel tunes about Long Island Sound going off in my head, I headed straight for the beach with a crossover surfboard.
Thirty years ago (in Australia) I swam a lot of broken-down horses at the beach, having a shark spotter was a good idea.  The horses could hardly stand up and it was a belief that one could get them fit by swimming.  In truth, it works sometimes but usually is only good for cardio and does little to strengthen the chassis, which just means you keep throwing good money after bad.

I was too smart to stick to a nice cruiser on the creek and enjoyed a blissful two hours way off the North Shore even dangling my legs in deep water.  When I came in to beach some guy told me I had a nice board and then, the swell got me, I fell off and broke my leg in two places; no Saratoga for me, was all I could think and that is what I said to the doctor.   If a horse doesn't make a fool of you it appears a paddleboard will.
Since playing the ponies and not having an income didn't seem responsible I stopped for a while.  I can't complain about last year, in the 12 months prior I saw a Triple Crown winner, went to the Prix de l' Arc de  Triomphe and The Dubai World Cup, although his year was a much better WC with Chromy victorious.  What a ride from Victor Espinoza, he landed the World Cup like Sully on the Hudson, and his girth was almost a flank rope.  It really doesn't get any better than that, a Triple Crown and a golden whip on two of the greatest racehorses ever.

California Chrome, 2nd in the Dubai World Cup 2015

Now it's time to pick a team.  Are you on team Nyquist or team Mohaymen, that's the big question coming into the Florida Derby.   March 1st thru 3rd is the last chance to bet futures on the Kentucky Derby too.
Then there is Lani, impressive winner of the UAE Derby with impeccable breeding, Tapit from a Sunday Silence mare, Heavenly Romance; and Gun Runner, who won the Louisiana Derby easily yesterday.  Cupid's, Rebel Stakes win was okay but maybe it's someone else's turn other than Bob Barffert's.   In the East vs. West dual coming up this weekend I have to go with Mohaymen.  This time last year I was already a strong team Pharoah supporter and would have sold my first born (if I had one) to see him run in this year's World Cup.
I plan on getting off the couch to witness the Wood Memorial again, Frosted was awesome in 2015 and as they say, 'a very talented horse who was just born into the challenge in the wrong year.'  Him and Keen Ice were always on my tickets with American Pharoah and he brought me much pleasure.

  Frosted returns to scale after winning The Wood Memorial.