Gratitude, Twitter and Some Saturday Racing

What was Mother Nature thinking? This is Churchill Downs she was messing with. Good thing the Racing Gods and the venerable ghosts of the home of the Twin Spires stepped in and took some action.  The F 1 tornado, with 105 mph winds, touched down at the mile chute at Churchill Downs, jumped around and damaged several barns. Miraculously, despite the structural devastation, no human or horse was injured.

Call it a blessing, call it a miracle, call it luck, whichever your perspective, the horse industry and its fans are all extremely thankful for the outcome. It could have been so much worse.

I have been reluctant to commit to Twitter, but I must say, it was fascinating to see the Wednesday night Tweets unfold as the weather played havoc in Louisville.

It is exactly what Twitter is good for, instant news updates from those on , or close to,  the scene. I just may have to become a tweeticipant instead of just a tweetwatcher.

The Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows on Saturday has a celebrity owner, if you are a country music fan. Sherriff Cogburn is owned by none other than Toby Keith’s Dream Walkin’ Farm and this colt can flat out run. It will be his 3^rd start off a layoff, and he must step up. He will be getting a big class test in the Derby with  Astrology being the horse to beat.

But I will be rooting for The Big Dog Daddy. Celebrity owners, who find success in our game, bring a good vibe and a lot of good energy into racing.

Another man with a hat that could find himself in the Winner’s Circle Saturday is Larry Jones. Joyful Victory is my choice in the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont .The daughter of Tapit is 2 for 3 at the distance and gets a rider change to Ramon Dominguez. She is a quality filly, and if she wins this, she will add her name to an illustrious group of fillies to have won this Grade 1.

The New York Stakes, for fillies and mares on the turf goes as the 6^th and is at a mile and 1/4.  Maybe a tough task for her, but I like La Cloche. She does her best running at Belmont and she just might appreciate the added distance. She is coming off a win, and two very sharp works. Perhaps not as good as her half sister Winter Memories, but I am willing to give her another chance, at this distance, and at a price.