they breatheheartbeat, batteryhay -they are theatre tryoneabhorrent to thebettor, onenotjet, roar, banterthen onebeat abaryon another, to earn honoron the throne Yesterday, while poking around the internet for poetic ideas, I stumbled across a French collective called the Ouvroir de Litterature Potentielle (OULIPO), the Workshop of Potential Literature. It was my first time hearing of this... Continue Reading →
the career maiden – #36
In 2016 and 2017, I wrote a newsletter called The Career Maiden. In May of 2017, I resurrected it today. In my latest issue, I discuss my thoughts about both the hiatus and my recent writing life more broadly. And then, just as I always did, I share some links to my writing, some links... Continue Reading →
Maiden Win Trends Among Kentucky Derby Starters
Most people who follow two-year-old races have a general idea of what kinds of maiden races to follow in order to find potential Kentucky Derby contenders. Though baby races begin in March and April, the real excitement begins to build through the summer with the loaded maiden special weights at Saratoga and Del Mar, and... Continue Reading →
Horseplayer Confessions: Just Say No To Lifetime Losers
Over at Brisnet, I make my first visit to the Horseplayer Confession booth, and think about a stern reminder not to play horses who don't win races.
Frontier Red
Frontier Red a bay more brown than blood when shrouded by sweat and twilight only occasionally sparkling when she passes under the burning floodlights most of the time the winner trots back easily, head held high a quarter-mile victory stroll she laboured back, dragging her empty rear hooves behind her hanging her head, bobbing it... Continue Reading →
building Catholic Boy’s foundation
When I think of Catholic Boy, I think of the unheralded hard work that goes into building a great horse's foundation. I think of running in circles, measured circles, incessant circles. In the week and a half leading up to the Breeders' Cup last year, I spent the mornings trackside, radio clipped to my side,... Continue Reading →
Canadian Triple Crown Trifectas
As soon as Wonder Gadot, Aheadbyacentury, and Cooler Mike crossed the wire 1-2-3 in the Prince of Wales, I wondered whether they were the first repeat trifecta in the first two races of the Canadian Triple Crown. They are. Never before yesterday had the trifecta repeated itself in the Queen's Plate (or the King's Plate,... Continue Reading →
The Underground Man, two times two, and Justify
So said Fyodor Dostoevsky in his masterpiece "Notes from Underground": With the ant-heap the respectable race of ants began and with the ant- heap they will probably end, which does the greatest credit to their perseverance and good sense. But man is a frivolous and incongruous creature, and perhaps, like a chess player, loves the... Continue Reading →
Thoroughbred Insider: Withers
In my latest piece for the Thoroughbred Insider Facebook page, I did a little something different: not a Withers Stakes preview per se, but more a piece inspired by a common thread that links the names of so many of the entrants. I don't write enough about horse names...but when I do, it's a lot... Continue Reading →
Thoroughbred Insider: Holy Bull
Today would have been Holy Bull's 27th birthday. On the Thoroughbred Insider Facebook page, I wrote a short piece remembering his career, and remembering his lasting impact on the Thoroughbred breed.
final NTRA poll thoughts
I voted in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll for the first time this year. Some weeks were more difficult than others, but this week's was the most brain-busting of all. I had assumed all year that it would be the easiest. After all, Breeders' Cup is the big ending, and it's the last poll of... Continue Reading →
A Day At the Races: Presque Isle Downs is the Cheers of racetracks
Of course, the sport on people’s minds was horse racing, not baseball. Deep, stained wood lined saddling stalls, not a bar. People sat in lawn chairs or at picnic tables, not stools. But, just like a cozy corner watering hole, the apron at Presque Isle Downs was where people went to catch up with friends... Continue Reading →
thank you, The Pizza Man
I'm glad The Pizza Man is being honoured at Arlington on Woodbine Mile day. It fits. With what turned out to be his final career win, on Mile day last year, the Pizza Man gave me a hug when I needed it most. On one of Woodbine's flagship days of racing, a pair of familiar... Continue Reading →
why we watch Winx live
Last night, I stayed up to watch Winx race in the Chelmsford Stakes. She won her nineteenth straight. This morning, I'm drinking a little more coffee than usual. The race went off at just before 1am my time. A few hours before, I was telling myself I'd go to bed and catch her race in... Continue Reading →
a rabbit, the Woodward, and a simple solution left unused
Twitter was abuzz about rabbits leading into the Whitney, when Cautious Giant and War Story were not coupled. The move not to couple that pair left a lot of people scratching their heads, and the race went about as many expected -- Cautious Giant gunned it to the lead, and War Story ran late. About... Continue Reading →
