You Can't Always Get What You Want (Rolling Stones, 1968)

It's warm up weekend.

Sure, there's the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont, but no Rachel Alexandra. There's the Nijinsky Stakes on the turf at Woodbine with Rahy's Attorney (ho hum) and there's the Eddie Read Handicap on the turf at Del Mar with American Handicap winner Monterey Jazz and seven others (another ho hum)...

But wait 'til next weekend, perhaps the best of the summer before the Travers on Aug. 29 ... Next weekend is when all three winners of the Triple Crown races will be in action ... Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was vanned from Churchill Downs to Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino for next Saturday night's West Virginia Derby (do we really believe a Derby winner is running in West by God Virginia?)






And the next day, at 6:14 pm, is the Haskell Invitational showdown between Preakness winning filly Rachel Alexandra and Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird ... The two will be meeting for the first time and the race promises to be a doozy. Add Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem to the mix, not to mention stakes-winning Munnings and a few local hotshots, and who knows what'll happen when the filly takes on the boys for the second time... She is coming off a billion-length win in the Mother Goose a few weeks ago against a few rivals competing for second place. She's win seven in a row, all under Calvin Borel, and who knows how Cajun Boy will approach this race at Monmouth, where he rarely rides. Hopefully, a few races over the course is on his agenda, not the Jersey Shore only down the block.

While the Haskell has two of the Triple Crown race winners, the greatest meet in the world -- Saratoga -- will be entering its first weekend topped by Saturday's Jim Dandy Stakes, featuring Kensei, the Dwyer winner owned by Jess Jackson, who owns Rachel Alexandra. An aside: Quality Road, the Florida Derby winner who would have been the Derby favorite but suffered a quarter crack and missed the Triple Crown races, is set to return in the Amsterdam on Aug. 3 _ a sprint also featuring Capt. Candyman Can.

Let's get it on. It's summer racing at its best, and it's only a week away. And by Travers day, a showdown looms: Mine That Bird vs. Rachel Alexandra vs. Summer Bird.

Cool. Maybe, if you try sometime, you can always get what you want.

And I ask: Where is TV on this? ESPN? Forgetaboutit. Is there no national TV for the Derby winner? Or the filly in the Haskell? Is this sport nuts, or what?

For what it's worth _ the Haskell is worth a quarter-million dollars more this year, up to $1,250,000 .... And there's also a bonus for the winners of any Triple Crowns races who run in the Haskell. Nice work, Monmouth and its president Bob Kulina, always trying to put together the best race possible no matter what the price.

Fourth of July: It's A Sunny Day!

Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles, 1966)

And it was. OK. I arrived at Belmomt Park about 2:30, some time after the fourth race. So I'm not the betting kind, at least not on this Fourth of July, but what a glorious day after so many Rain (The Beatles, 1966) days in June that poured into July. But there was no rain today, and three grand ol' stakes races were run and a crowd of more than 7,000 showed up at this massive racetrack. They were the lucky ones -- at the top of the stretch are private BBQ areas for groups, and a grassy area for families who just want to toss out a picnic blanket and kick back and enjoy the day.
Of course, I was lucky enough to be invited to a birthday party in one of the BBQ areas (for Teresa, or Brooklyn Backstretch) _ and I made the most of it: one really well done hot dog with mustard and kraut, a couple of cans of Molson and a few bakery cookies. Mm mm.
Then it was time for the stakes _ races. Loved Just Ben in the Dwyer, especially after watching him romp on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Oh well. Just Ben is just plain no good in the stretch and Kensei, apparently a fictional name based on a real person named Miyamoto Musashi, who is believed to have been one of the most skilled swordsmen in history and the greatest samurai. Cool, huh? Maybe it's true.
Anyway, the horse is owned by Jess Jackson of Curlin and Rachel Alexandra fame. So now Jess has a 3-year-old colt on the rise to go with his fabulous filly Rachel. He was in the winner's circle, touting his new star, and saying he's looking at Saratoga or other options or Monmouth Park. OK, we'll wait to see where he ends up.
Calvin Borel, a favorite topic, was aboard Warrior's Reward in the Dwyer. They stumbled badly at the start and finished third. The Jim Dandy is next for him.
In the Prioress, it was Cat Moves -- the least experience filly in the field -- beating eight rivals to make her record 3-for-3 for trainer Tony Dutrow. The Test at Saratoga on Aug. 8 is next.
And finally, the 123rd running of Suburban gave good ol' (don't tell 'em my age) Barclay Tagg his first stakes win in New York this year when Dry Martini rallied from last to first. Asiatic Boy held on for second in a Suburban devoid of an older star (perhaps this is why the race was downgraded to a Grade 2 -- although the purse was $400,000) ...
Also on the day, Mike Smith was selected to ride Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby _ Calvin blew his chance by not committing to the gelding. Good move by Chip Woolley. Back to Belmont and when all was said and done, it was a lovely day at the track -- and that's a good thing.

Cool it, Calvin

Cool Jerk (The Capitols, 1966)

OK Calvin Borel, enough is enough. The jig is up.
You and your agent, Jerry Hissam _ and we used to like you guys_ have taken this too far. Perhaps you think you're too famous these days, you Mr. Stay-in-Manhattan all Belmont week and then climbing aboard Mine That Bird, making an early move and finishing third in the Belmont Stakes.
It's fine to be confident and cocky. Heck, you earned it after so many years of riding the rails before hitting it big in the 2007 Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense. But what the hell are you doing now?
You were desperate for a Derby ride this year, and got hooked up with Mine That Bird and won the dang thing at 50-1. Then you ditched him for a filly and beat your own Derby winner in the Preakness with Rachel Alexandra. Ain't it grand to be you -- going for your own personal Triple Crown?
And then you diss Belmont Park, refuse to ride one race over the course in the week leading up to the Belmont and what happens? You move early, and the Bird can't hold off Summer Bird in the stretch.
So now you are waffling again, and thank goodness Mine That Bird's trainer Chip Woolley made his move now -- Hey Calvin, you're outta here if you don't commit to my gelding through the Breeders' Cup ... Well, Hissam was being hush and refusing to commit to anything other than to Warrior's Reward _ a 3-year-old with promise who runs in the Dwyer at Belmont on Saturday and likely the Jim Dandy on Aug. 1. Oops! That's the same day you're supposed to ride Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby, and then comes the Travers and then the Breeders' Cup Classic. So you won't commit to the horse you won the Derby on? You want to ride for Ian Wilkes, who took over for the man who put you on Street Sense (Carl Nafzger)?
Good for you. Your choice. And now you won't ride the Derby winner again.
What you tried to do -- keep Woolley hanging on _ is not popular in this corner, and not good for the sport .. and Calvin, you know it. Yes, it's all about the money and heaven knows you made a ton of it aboard Mine That Bird, not to mention winning 7 in a row aboard Rachel Alexandra. So you made your choice by refusing to make a commitment. You made a commitment to Rachel. Why not Mine That Bird? A horse that will be running long after Rachel is sent to the farm? You guys may know more about this then this corner, but what is coming out in the media is not too pretty. Here's hoping Woolley & Co. come up with a rider that will bring their horse back to the winner's circle -- in West Virginia, New York and California.