I know, Tuesday is a few days away. But lucky you, we are peeking ahead to who will be running on the card that day. You will want to pull down the entire WinningPonies card to make the day a big winner.

Kick it off in Race #1 at River Downs with #6 Busha. This son of Mercer Mill is ridden by Perry Outzs, and he is winning at 25% at the River. The trainer Mike Rone is rolling at 20% to the winner’s circle. They have teamed up the last 60 days to win 25% and 67% ITM. Not bad at all.

He ran a nice second to DP The Facilitator, owned by Rick Pitino and Dick Vitale. He won by 3 1/4 lengths on 5/19, and this colt should have the lead to dictate the pace.

He stretches out from 4 1/2 f to 5 panels, and is 9-5. As of the first two at River Downs on Sunday, Perry Outzs had ridden the double, and looks like he is hitting on all cylinders. The dam of this runner is winning with 40% of her two-year-olds, and thrown 5 winners from 7 starters.

She was no match last out, but this time may be different. Get all you want and bet early and often. I think if you use your W/P data on this day, it may be a nice way to kick off the week.

Good luck!

If you happened to be at River Downs on Friday afternoon, you would have caught a glimpse of a H.O.F rider Chris McCarron and his students from the North American Racing Academy from Lexington, Kentucky.

Coming up for the trip was 25-year-old apprentice Ben Creed, making his career debut in the 14th race.

At the top of the lane, his mount steadied briefly at the quarter pole, but closed steadily along a small opening on the rail.  He finished a close second. His only thought coming into the race was that he didn’t want to be on the rail. Guess where Otto Thorwarth put him down the lane.

Creed took a different route than most. He worked many jobs, and the advice was always the same. “You should be a jockey with your size.”

Well, he Googled the N.A.R.A and Chris McCarron, and the rest is in the books. This kid is in the best of hands, and has the look of a gutsy rider. How many first time riders jump a small gap at the top of the stretch? How many don’t give up when the other horse gets a little close down the lane?

This guy has the look of a nice rider. He has the weight and the skills to boot. I think we are going to see good things from this guy…

The executive director of the Family Foundation said Thursday the group will challenge the constitutionality of any legislation authorizing video lottery terminals at horse tracks if passed by the General Assembly.

“We will file suit if the governor calls a special session which includes expanded gambling,” said Kent Ostrander. He later clarified that statement to say the group will sue if the legislation is passed without a constitutional amendment and voter referendum to approve the expansion of gambling.

Gov. Steve Beshear is expected to call a special session – some lawmakers say it’s likely to commence on June 15th – to deal with an expected state revenue shortfall of up to $1 billion. He is also considering putting the question of electronic slots at race tracks on the agenda and has said Kentucky’s signature horse industry is “in crisis” and “is close to being in free fall.”

The bill is sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, and does not include a constitutional amendment. While serving as Attorney General from 2003 to 2007, Stumbo issued an opinion that no constitutional amendment is required but that contradicts previous AG opinions – most recently in 1999 by Ben Chandler.

Ostrander cited Chandler’s opinion in his Thursday news conference, saying the authority to expand gambling beyond the state lottery authorized by a 1988 amendment must also be established by amendment. Chandler’s opinion argues as well that legislative debates leading to the 1988 constitutional referendum included assurances the state lottery “would not encompass electronic devices and slot machines.”

Stumbo’s opinion conversely argues the state constitution specifically banned lotteries and constitutional debate clearly indicated the ban would not affect wagering on horse racing. He contends as well that his bill would restrict the electronic slots to existing tracks where gambling is already legal and thus does not constitute expansion of gambling.

But Ostrander said it’s clear that a constitutional amendment is required and he cited statements by Beshear when he ran for governor in 2007 that it was then “time to put this question on the ballot and let the people decide.” Ostrander said Beshear promised “as governor of this state I will make sure Kentuckians have that chance.”

Ostrander also recalled the public campaign of the Kentucky Equine Education Project or KEEP which called for a public vote on the question of casino gambling – a measure which failed to pass either chamber of the General Assembly in the 2008 session.

He said the present push for electronic slots at race tracks is an attempt to bypass the right of the public to decide the issue and promised to “take all legal steps necessary to stop the slots activity that is trying to by-pass the people.”

Even Stumbo has said he expects the legislation to face several court challenges if passed.

I once read a long time ago that everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes in their life. In the world of Calvin Borel, it may have lasted a little bit longer. And boy, is it well deserved.

I have been reading some of the best writers in the game speak of the soap opera surrounding Calvin Borel and his big decision.

I agree, Calvin is no Bill Shoemaker, Braulio Baeza, or Johnny Longden. He would probably be the first to tell you that. It was from humble beginnings that this Cajun rider hailed, and he never forgot where he came from.

The day before the Preakness he was not getting his nails done or giving the media darlings a long-winded interview on how he did it. He was in Louisville cutting his grass. Some things just make more sense than others, and so do some people.

I had the opportunity to meet him years ago. He was not at the top of the standings, and that didn’t stop him from riding. He never pouted, or cried about his mounts. He rode for many including his brother. You could find him mucking stalls and wrapping legs. He was not sipping a latte and regaling us with his success. He is a blue-collar, down-home, hard working rider. He will not be quoted in the history books forever. He only stopped whooping and crying after his win in the Oaks and Derby to point to the sky and wish his mommy and daddy could have seen what he had done. You’re right big city writers, he is not New York’s finest, and there are better riders out there. But just one question: Where were they on Derby day when this Cajun rider scooted up the rail on a 50-1 shot? I guess they were worried about the press getting their good side.

So, a word of friendly advice. Get off his back, and get on his bandwagon. Think of it as being a Cubs fan. Think of it as a rookie winning the MVP. Think of it as the right thing to do. He works hard, and it seems the harder he works, the luckier he gets.

I think that we have underestimated the thoughts of Mr. Wooley. He knows that Calvin fits his horse, and has proven his efforts when everyone else doubted him. It is not too late. We can ship in some big city name, and they can climb aboard. They may win or they may lose, but the race has a special meaning by having a blue-collar rider in the spotlight. Don’t worry folks, things will get back to normal soon. Believe me, Calvin Borel would be the first to tell you. But for now, the court is his and enjoy watching a regular guy having his 15 minutes…..

By now you have heard that Rachel Alexandra is not going to run in the 141st Belmont Stakes. A wise man once told me the answer can be yes, no, and wait and see. We have our answer, and we’ll get to wait and see just how good she will be in the future.

R.A is one of the finest fillies I have ever seen in action. A response from a member made a great point. She had the look and feel of Ruffian. She ran on the hook, or just off of the pace. Both gave their all every effort, and now we will be able to see her mature with a little rest.

The 1 1/2 at ” Big Sandy” can be grueling. The race does not set up for downtown closers, and runners will have to make their moves earlier than usual. You can count on rabbits, stalkers, and off the pace monsters. They would have never given her a breather. But now, we can rest assured that she will eat, romp, and come back rested with a lot of racing luck.

Kudos to Jess Jackson for making this decision. It is not my opinion that counts. It is that I am a true fan in every sense of the word. I would have hated to see or hear of any problems. She won by over twenty in the Oaks, and held off the late charge of the Derby winner. What else can we ask from her right now?

There will be plenty of races down the road. If she retired today, look at it as if she retired the champ. But I think we have not seen the last of her efforts. Mr. Jackson paid a hefty sum, and stepped her up and won. I think he has a few more plans for her, and at the end of her career she will be bred to Curlin. Just think, we will be watching “super horses” for years to come. The bloodlines from this marriage will have an effect on the game for years. But in the meantime, get some rest young lady. You surely deserve your time down.

Churchill Downs says it needs slot machines to be able to compete with the racetracks in other states, which already have casino gambling.

Getting the General Assembly to approve slot machines is the first challenge.

But if Churchill Downs can get slots, where would they put them?

How many one armed bandits does it take to raise $121 million?  That’s what Churchill Downs spent on its expansion a few years ago – long rumored to be the future home for slots.

“Actually the expansion was for racing.  The $121 million spent here was to make sure we had the best facility in the world come Oaks and Derby day,” says Kevin Flanery of Churchill Downs Inc.

According to Flanery, there was never any plan to use the expansion for slot machines or casino gaming.

“Our plan is to build an entirely new facility on the property if we’re fortunate enough to be allowed to have slots on this facility property,” he says.

Flanery says none of the current clubhouse would even be used for auxiliary gaming and that a temporary casino could be up and running within twelve months.

“A lot depends on what the legislation allows us to do.  But it will be on this site.  It will be on the facility site as has been anticipated by the legislation and obviously you can look around and see where the empty spots are, but a lot of it will be what kind of design they can come up with.”

So we know slot machines won’t come to the infield, for that matter to millionaires’ row, or even to the jockey club.

But the bigger question remains, will slots come to Churchill Downs at all?

Governor Steve Beshear is expected to decide by the end of this week whether to include slots at racetracks in a special session.

Have you ever been to a busy airport? How about a sports bar? What if they had a place where you could place wagers on tracks? What if they offered an easy-to-use kiosk where you could get your bet on if you’re a player, and possibly draw new players at the same time. It would be marketed just like the lottery: “Someone has to win, it might as well be YOU.”

OK, you are probably thinking that it would be difficult to manage. Not really. You could have a bank of self-serve machines in a designated location that could be watched over by a tote manager. They could even have a printable kiosk where players could purchase reasonably priced handicapping items.

Just think of it… In every major airport, there could be a branded “Win Place and Show” sports bar. Pub food at a reasonable price and ample seating with other sports in the area. No matter where you landed, there is a great possibility of finding that handy play area for adults.

The incoming and outgoing patrons could be introduced to a great sport on the fly! They could bet in New York, and cash their tickets in Florida. As one central tote system could be utilized for ease of use, and the branded image would allow you know what to expect.

We as players need to save our game. Some have racinos, VLT’s and lottery devices. This could just be an extension of the track. It could be shared revenue by all tracks, and would bring the game to the fast-paced world in which we live…. Once upon a time, the thought of going through a drive-through window to get your dinner was unheard. Who would have ever thought we would be on the go, and use it as a time saver? Same idea, just another way to bring the action to you.

John Velazquez will ride six horses for US trainer Wesley Ward at Royal Ascot in June.

The top American jockey replaces the stricken Rene Douglas who, tragically, may not walk again after he was seriously injured in a fall at Arlington Park on Saturday.

Velazquez has previous experience with the Royal meeting, having ridden there for Godolphin in 2000.

On that occasion, he stood in for Frankie Dettori who was unable to ride after suffering serious injuries in a plane crash.

Ward is all set to bring sprinter Cannonball and five two-year-olds to Ascot.

“I’ve gone to John Velazquez to ride these horses,” Ward told the Racing Post.

“The horses worked awesome.”

“Judging by the two-year-olds’ workouts and times, if they were in races at Del Mar, Gulfstream, Belmont or Arlington they would win. I don’t care who races against them, so I can’t see them running a bad race at Ascot.”

“All they need now is one easy breeze next Monday and then it’s a case of getting them to Newmarket and keeping them happy.”

If you were watching Arlington Park as I was yesterday, you were probably holding your breath when you saw Born To Be go down at the top of the lane. It seemed frozen in time as you saw this giant animal rolling over long-time Chicago great Rene Douglas.

At the top of the lane, I was watching a great race unfold. It was at that time that I looked back in the pack and saw this terrible incident unfold.

Douglas was bumped and jostled about, and went down head over heels. The runner looked as if she dropped her whole weight on him as he hit the ground. He was taken to Northwestern Hospital and underwent a seven-hour surgery.  If you find yourself saying a prayer this evening, keep Mr. Douglas in your thoughts. These next few weeks will be crucial.

In California, great runners are no big news. But when you have a long layoff, you can be a target for others to shoot at. This is true for many, but if your name is Zenyatta the rules do not apply.

She was dead last going down the backstretch and her perfect 9/9 record was on the line. The $150,000 Milady Handicap looked up for grabs for a bit. That was until she clutched out of second gear when everybody else was tied to a tree. She spun past these fillies as she likes to do, but this time it was with a scary authority. The girl is back, and in a big way. Being 10 /10 speaks volumes, and she does her talking on the track. Welcome back young lady!

If you have not won in a while, it is no big deal in racing. It is a tough game. But to come back, after not visiting the winner’s circle in 609 days, to score in a G-3 Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs; now that is the definition of class.

Brass Hat with the red-hot Calvin Borel in the irons capped off a five win day for him. He increased Brass Hat to the $1,892,360 money mark, and gave Buff Bradley a nice victory indeed. Next stop may be the United Nations at Monmouth on July 4th.

When  you find a fat play that has the ability to knock out a vulnerable favorite, I have always called them “power plays.”  At Hollywood Park, there may be just one of these on the prowl.

Go right to Race #8 on Saturday and look at #3 Allicansayis Wow. This runner is 20-1, and that is a sweet price. The best part of the action is there is a monster favorite that may turn up a little light down the lane.

This 4-year-old Street Cry filly is facing the monster of the West. Her name is Zenyatta. On this day, she is 3-5 and may be vulnerable. That is if you are willing to overlook your obvious back class and find value elsewhere.

Joe Talamo is in the irons, and she has some incredible numbers. Her speed rating is a 56 ++, and 56 for the last three efforts. The double (+) symbol means that good things are expected to happen. She also sports the “should improve” icon and a “monster workout” marker with a 5f effort of 1:01 flat.

She exits a victory, and Zenyatta has been off for 211 days and has a perfect 9/9 record on the line.

All things considered, Zenyatta is a monster. But, monsters sometimes do not show up in full gear after a long layoff. So, be sure to dial up WinningPonies.com and download the rest of the card. This will allow you to make an informed decision, and decide if you want to bet her to be 10/10 or beat the chalk. Either way, WinningPonies will have a plan.