The color of money.

"Money won is twice as sweet as money earned."
-"Fast" Eddie Felson

When they broke from the gate in the Jockey Club Gold Cup I was over Indianapolis, descending out of 380^*.

I was stuck in Hilton Head for the last few days and since I feel about golf the way most people feel about horse racing, the charms of the place were lost on me. There is no OTB, no track and Hilton Hotels do not carry TVG; Diamond privileges my ass.

I knew there was no risk of me overhearing the results as I walked through the terminal, a sad commentary on the state of the game, and I managed to inveigle my partner into loading up the Bloodhorse and clicking on the video replay section-so I wouldn't see the results beforehand. I watched the races but with a diminished sense of wonder, like watching a documentary; you might not know what happens next but you know the world kept on spinning without you. There was no visceral tie in to the race and I felt cheated of the grandeur. This job thing sucks.

Curlin, cursed with meeting expectations played fifth fiddle to Smooth Air, Zenyatta, Stardom Bound and Grand Couturier.

Smooth Air-loved him since the Hutcheson and my pick going into the Derby before he got sick-is going to the BC. Connections are undecided about the Classic or the Mile and I hope they point toward the latter. Ten furlongs is just 'A bridge to nowhere too far' for this gutsy colt. Stutts apparently did not get the memo and trains his horses as if they were actually going to race a route of ground.

Nothing I can write here will do justice to Zenyatta but that has never stopped me from spewing tenets before. Ears pricked at the quarter pole she trampled the field. Pointed toward the Filly and Mare Classic, Mr. Moss should reconsider and point to the main event. They might fear the spectre of Eight Belles shadowing them but this filly belongs in the Classic.

Stardom Bound, apparently received some schooling from her last race, switched leads on cue and makes Mike Smith odds on to get himself two BC wins in four weeks.

Question. Why the hell, according to the PP's, is the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita considered an entirely different track from Santa Anita? Is there a rift in the space time continuum that I am unaware of? WTF? And the industry wonders why this game is having a hard time growing a fan base.

My friends are now dreading this time of year because they know that, soon, they will receive cash calls for my BC Pick Six syndicate. I had the six winners last year but my local OTB apparently wants them all on the same ticket.

Details.


*Thirty-eight thousand feet