I have a friend who is a VP in banking. He and his gal are from Kentucky, and they traveled out to California for the big doings. No real surprise there, but the rest of the story is that they returned married. He wanted to celebrate the biggest day of his sport, with his partner for life. My only comments to him was, “I bet she will always remember this as being her worst day at the track in years to come!” All kidding aside – best wishes, Kevin and Mary….

There are two fellas that come to the track three to four times a week together. I like to call them the “Siamese Twins.” They are never more than ten feet apart. I surely don’t know how their wives put up with them. They pretty much are $5 – $10 players.  They always pull together and make all sorts of wagers. The biggest day in their history was $3,000 over the last twenty years. This year the “Twins” killed the weekend and rolled into a $46,000 venture. I am guessing the wives will never complain again… Good job guys…

“Lucky” made his way out there to meet some of his cronies from Vegas. This guy couldn’t pick the winner of a race they just made official.  Hence, the name fits the man.. He made his way out, and lost his rump on day one.. He borrowed a total of $200 from his buddies for Day #2, and he made a little comeback… He paid back the $200, and went home $8,000 to the good … Even a broken clock is right twice a day!

These were just a few stories that were happy. Working at the track, you meet people from all walks of life. They are all fun, and even the bad ones are tolerable.  Oh, I do know of a few that went broke, and one missed his flight… A lady player got so drunk she fell asleep in the sun and became the target of many pictures…

The overall: racing is like life.. Each day you walk into the track and you never know just what is going to happen, or if the outcome will be good…. But we go anyway, and along the way we meet some of the best people in the world…

Good luck, and see you at the races……

Think about if you were asked to put up $100,000 to run your own horse in a daunting race. Your charge was not the overwhelming favorite, or was it a short field. Hell, it wasn’t even the only track you have ran or trained on. So, do you get out the checkbook?

If you are owner Ken Kinakin, the offer was put on the table. If he wanted to play in the $2 million Sprint, he had to pony up the jack. So, do you get out your checkbook yet?

His answer was yes…. If he wanted in, he had to pay. Dancing in Silks would be supplemented to run in this six furlong dash. There was no guarantee, and that didn’t stop his check…

He believed in his horse.. He wanted to play, and thought he had enough steam to go for the wall. Well, sometimes gut feelings and last minute calls are the maker of true competitors. On this day, it turned out to be the right move.

Dancing in Silks won in a four horse photo finish. Heavily favored Zensational was in this field, and taking a great deal of the public money. Dancing in Silks was ridden by Breeders’ Cup first timer winner Joel Rosario. She was 15-1, and paid her backers at the windows sweetly.

Trainer Carla Gaines tried to talk Kinakin out of the move, but he would have no part of that and said, “Let’s go.”

We all like to see ourselves as go-get-em types. But the truth is short and sweet. “Fortune favors the bold.”

The 27-year-old former camel jockey, Ahmad Ajtebi, stepped up his game quite a bit. He went from being a one time camel man, to a professional rider going to get his picture taken on the biggest day of the year.

Ajtebi wanted to raise his game. He is riding for the powerful Godolphin stable. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor is recognized as one of the rising stars of the game. He tried his hand at every jockey school around the world. I guess the travel paid off.

It was on Dubai World Cup night when he took the world by storm. He won two races on the best day of racing in the desert.  When Vale of York stormed to win on this day, it now leads to Derby dreams for the Godolphin clan once again.

A winner for his third time out of six starts, Vale of York was a second place finisher in the Group-I Gran Criterium in Italy. This gave an impression that he may hold a bit of promise. I guess that is what makes the win so special. A horse that was a cut below most of the field, and a former camel rider taking his game to the stratosphere.

Ajtebi acknowledged this as one of the greatest in his life. To win at the top level gives one hope. It shows promise. Oh, and by the way he schooled Garrett Gomez down the lane, would put him in a handful of people that could pull off that stunt.

Godolphin always comes loaded. That will be a bet you will always win. But the victory at this level with Vale of York probably wasn’t expected at first asking. Maybe for all of  the billions spent on horses, they may have found the jewel of the desert in the most unlikely of places.

Zenyatta in BC Classic Post Parade

On rare occasions we are on hand to see great things happen in our life. Thoroughbred racing is a sport, but as with all sports, there are defining moments that will be etched in our mind forever.

The Classic is worth $5 million. It summons some of the greatest talent known to humanity. Some could not make it for injury, some for early retirement, and others ducked away from the pressure. But on this date, you can remember the day you saw greatness.

There was a field of 13 assembled, and Quality Road had to be taken out, due to a scratch on his back leg. All had to be pulled out, and the gate assembled again. A mare facing the boys was tossed out by many (including myself). Many didn’t think that she had what it took to get the job done against the older boys. She came in with a perfect 13/13 record. A little over two minutes later, she moved to the 14/14 range.  Man, how I wish I could take back those words…

She broke on the wrong lead, and was dead last by many. This would not have been a problem against many of the gals she has been facing, but today it made those who backed her at the windows draw a breath and give up hope. When the final quarter pole came into view, we could see the girl weaving up the rail against some of the best in the world. Mike Smith pulled her off at about the 1/8th pole, and did her duty of swinging wide and and gunning them down. It had the look of a lawnmower going over fresh spring grass. She was a monster, and now for the naysayers there was proof that she was that good.

For the longest time, Rachel Alexandra was being summoned to face her in this race. Lucky that she didn’t. For a filly that accomplished so much, she would have been another name on the also ran list.

I am glad they didn’t face off now…. I am glad that Rachel comes back in 2010, and Zenyatta goes into history. There is only one question that begs to be answered after this day. Is she “Horse of the Year?” I think today answered that question. She beat all of the boys, and did it in the same fashion that she whipped the girls. Today was a day that goes into the books. This race was the highlight of the two-day event, and Zenyatta proved to be quite the best.

Race #3 – BC Marathon…. This is the only race that I am going to play, where a gal will not rule the day. A top tier runner is going to smash this field. #6 Mastery (9-5) should enjoy the long distance. I don’t think you will get 9-5, and this is why I needed help finding prices to finish out my exactas and trifectas. But, I do love Mastery…

Race #4 – Pure Clan….. I cannot believe this top tier runner is 5-1….Garrett Gomez is in the saddle, and I love him on big days. She is 14/15 ITM, and has the “monster workout” banner, and  ”has improved” icon. This is a great sign, and I have to love the price. Bob Holthus is the trainer, and the rail can be a good place going 1 1/4 on the weeds. I had to seek the lower tiers to find that price level that makes my wager an IRS signer. I like my chances, and with a little racing luck good things may happen.

The card overall is strong. These are just a couple of runners I like. There are a bevy of races where there are some double tough gals. I think we may see some new stars for the future on this day. So, be sure and look beyond the top tier. There can be great value there, but sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find the gold. There is plenty of easy chalk, and you can even turn the lower price plays into triple digit payoffs very easily.

Best of luck today!

I have had the data from W/P in my hand all day. I always find something that I like, but it just so happens that I see eight races where we are dead on. My long shot plays are right there. It is good to have a plan, but when it is validated it makes it that much sweeter.

The weekend should be good to me, if only half of the runners go as planned.

I thought I would be alone, or pulled between runners. When I saw the tier levels and comments on paper, I began to write my bets in ink. It is rare when there are so many runners that have a price appear in the same order. I guess that is why, more than ever, you need to get your data downloaded.

On Saturday, I really liked Desert Code in the BC Turf Sprint. When I saw the 20-1 shot in the top tier, I started planning my wagers. For Race #4, when Fatal Bullet was in tier #1 against Zensational, I could not believe my eyes. I have been waiting for this runner since catching my first glimpse in the Kentucky Cup. At 9-2, that is like a birthday present…

The capper for me was that in Race #6, the BC Mile, I liked Court Vision at a solid price. He was in the first tier at 12-1. He had the “should improve” banner, and that was on my mind for quite sometime. He is facing Goldikova, and that says it all right there….

So, if you have not downloaded your data. Get to it, and I think you will be surprised. W/P does very well overall, and on big days they rise to the top with some runners you may have overlooked.  In fact, just today (Thursday), they nailed the Pick 6 at Oak Tree!  So, I am hoping for a big weekend, and I started today with a few spot plays. I was able to build a little bankroll in the last hours that may help me cross the finish line.

Best of luck to you, and I hope we see some great racing. Oh, and by the way, don’t be afraid to take some shots, as prices will be all around these two days.

The handicapping gurus are leaning toward the stalkers and closers in all races. You can throw out speed, and look for the back of the pack runners.

Be ready for surprises. The price runners can jump up at every time, and bite you in the wallet. Stretch out to get these runners in your tickets. Don’t waste your time over-capping for one winner. Be sure to use multiple runners that need a good combing over for exactas and trifectas.

It is wise to reach beyond your normal comfort level. Box up those price runners, as everyone is trying during this time.

At Santa Anita, here are a few ideas of who is winning from where:

Stalkers – 14/32  – Deep closers – 12/32 – Euros – 5/32 – and the speedsters – 2/32……

Foreign runners have taken well to the turf course. Don’t be afraid that they will not acclimate to the heat and be washed out. They seem to love the California racing. Speed is 2/24, and Closers are 15/24… Most of the foreign horses have had a start in the USA, and have had finishes of 2nd place or better. I would focus on closers, and don’t discount layoff runners for top barns.

Some of the smallest payoffs have come in the Ladies Classic – $3.00, and the highest have come in the Marathon – $26.80, Classic -$29.00, and the Turf Sprint $75.00. The rest lay in between, and it is up to you to find the value. History has been a good factor in finding which races favor chalk, and the ones that lean towards prices.

Playing straight tri’s and supers seldom works. You will need to build down, and you can find this on your lower tiers. There is great value to be had on theses levels. Don’t be afraid to stretch out.. This is a day where you will want to bring along a bankroll, or find partners in bigger tickets.

Your final stop will happen this Thursday night on our Internet show. We will break down both days, and offer out some great exotic plays. So be sure and tune in, and pick up the latest info to prepare with your data to find winners.  It starts at 8:00 p.m. EST / 5:00p.m. PST, and you can call in if you have a hot runner or insight into the races. You can contact us at 1-888-346-9144.

Best of luck, and hope to talk to you on Thursday night….

The Breeders’ Cup is a powerhouse. They charge a GREAT PERCENTAGE of takeout and the tracks do no real business. It would seem that on the biggest days of the year, the powers that be would want to include all of the little tracks that follow the sport daily.

For all major events, there are tickets that are held. Do you think the Super Bowl or World Series do not have any tickets earmarked for other teams? Maybe they do not give away the house, but they should be included in all events.

How about holding 100 decent tickets for each track? How many would they be giving away? Keep it for the tracks that hold a three month or better meet. Now, you are talking 30 track? That sounds like sending 3000 of the best players from around the country to the event. Also, add in the ability to BUY upscale tickets. Don’t give away the posh seats, but allow tracks to cater to players. This allows for over 8 – 10,000 to be sold to the general public: celebs who don’t care about racing, and the connections of the racing stars.

I am a big fan of getting the best players to the event. There is still plenty of expense, and the free ticket ensures the players will be there. Funny, give away a ticket and the perceived value is huge….I love to bring in the biggies. This will help handle, and keep the stands full.. Hell, the B/C kills the tracks with the takeout, so they might as well pony up and get some big players there..

This is an event where the senators and local mayors can stay home. The action carries itself, and you can’t beat that. The players come to roost, and you might as well make hay while the sun shines. This idea can be used for the Oaks, Derby, Preakness, Belmont, and some other marquee events with a smaller allotment. Go ahead, and send the tickets to the management of tracks. It is not a perk for them, but to be used for their best players. What a way to repay our best customers…. The marketing and publicity departments would be hopping. I was there last year, and the stands were half empty on a beautiful weekend. The tickets were overpriced, and as travelers, we were killed before making bet number one. Needless to say, I will be on my couch betting early, and enjoying the action…..Too bad, I would have loved to have sent players like me to the big dance.

Players from around the globe will wager on this. It may take a few years to catch fire, but I bet it will do just fine. It kinda reminds of Vegas and the prop board during football season. I love to drop a few wagers, and have some fun. I think this will fit the same bill.

As Breeders’ Cup approaches, we will start narrowing the factors. Believe it or not, it is still just a bit early to make any final decisions. This wager got me thinking about that right out of the gate. We have heard about the number of horses certain stables will be bringing to the weekend. But, you have to wait until the draw before you make your final moves.

Right now, if you held me to the task, I would take $10 on: Garrett Gomez, Desormeaux, and Mike Smith…. It all depends on the Euros for me… I may find a bit of value on a European rider, if the price looks to right… But, one thing is for certain. The bet will take off…

Maybe next year, you will be able to do “Daily Doubles” with the riders. One day to the next… I guess as a player I like the idea of the new opportunity.

Back to the big contest. If they have 80 people @ $2,500 per person, it comes out to $200,000 to play for. Now, submit this for your approval. Since the B/C goes around the globe, make it a $200 entry contest. All can play online, or make your wagers at your local track. Let’s be kind and say that there would be 2,000 around the globe who would play… That gives it a nice pool of $400,000 prize money. Make it the same rules as the NTRA contest. First, take 20% of the prize money and use it to send those to the finals in Vegas… That is $80,000 to send players. How many seats do you think would be available?  This does not make it a rich player’s game. It opens it up to everyone in the game. The contest would be available to everyone at a reduced price for more money…. There would be NO money taken out by Santa Anita. This would be a nice way of rewarding players. As far as creating handle, don’t you think that the players who enter would be making wagers on the biggest day of the year? Open the doors to everyone… Don’t have 80 people dressed to the nines in a private room. Open it up to the world. They still bet through the same hub. No problem there, so why not take a try?

Oh, I guess it is easy to sit back and play couch quarterback… But, when you make the mistake of not opening up the biggest days to the everyday people, you create problems. Do you think the 80 people in the “Gold Room” will bet more than every outlet in the world? I think not, and the idea is good. But not on the biggest day of racing… Open the gates, and let them play. Invest in the future and let everyone in… Everyone wins…. Oh, that 2,000 person estimate is low… I see 500 or better play in an online contest in November that qualifies 25 players. This would be the world’s biggest, and what better day than on the biggest day of racing… I would play for sure… I know many others that would as well….

I am taking a vacation to “chalkland.” I am not ashamed. I am not embarrassed. I am going to make seven plays between here and Breeders’ Cup to bankroll my weekend. Here is my seven-step program.

Day one. I am going to start with $100. I will look over New York, Kentucky, California, and Florida for one play of the day… No more, no less… All I need is 1-2 on my money.. I will bet it to place or show… But, it is coming……

I find my first wager, and lock it in. We find five to six each day and skip it due to price. I bet my $100 and get back $150. My second wager yields me the same 1-2 and my wad is up to $225. Bet three takes me to $337.50. I cannot believe it is growing… Number four gets me – $506.25, and bet number five takes me up to $759.38. I am starting to sweat, but my capping is getting more focused. Number six wager rolls me into – $1,139.06. I finish up my Breeders’ cup bankroll with my seventh wager. I find 1-2 on my money and I get back $1,708.59.

This is hard to grasp… Can you believe that betting $100 on a 1-2 payoff can yield this amount? This will get my bankroll up to a nice number. I only invested a hundred clams, and I have $1,700 to wager. Normally, I could not see $1,700 in pocket unless I am out of town, or it is Breeders’ Cup… But to start with such a small amount compared to what I will have is incredible.

Stay away from small circuits. Stay away from off tracks. Keep away from large fields. Don’t use a new bug rider. Use trainers who bat better than 20%. Don’t use maiden races. Stay away from cheap claimers… This should get you where you need to be. You have to be careful, and there must be some ground rules. These are mine.

Think about it, and let me know your thoughts. Good or bad, just let me know what you think. Seven times in the batters box, and you could be having a helluva Breeders’ Cup weekend…

The historical bias says that closers, stalkers, and “Silky Sullivan” types do well in here. The majority of runners in this 8 furlong affair tend to favor this method. In the past, so have I at the windows…

Less than 20% have went gate to wire in this affair. You will want to start your process by searching for a pace that will set up what type of closer. A blistering job on the hook can assure they will come rolling like the cavalry. A medium to average pace may favor a tactical runner who can weave their magic 4-5 lengths off the pace.

Post position means a lot in the history of this race. You will want to go back through charts, and see what post has taken the beating. The outside has been a bad place to be. I would look for a middle post where a runner can dive in or out if needed. I don’t like the rail where the competition is all great. You can get shut off quicker than an unpaid electric bill.  Just go back through the charts. It will pay off.

Big preps on the radar screen for this heat have been the – Q.E. II Stakes, Prix Jacque le Marois, Prix du Moulin, and the Sussex Stables. Goldikova won her last prep in the Prix du Moulin.

Here are some contenders that may need a look if they make the trip: Artiste Royale, Awesome Gem, Bold Chieftain, Colonel John, Cosmonaut, Courageous Cat, Cowboy Cal, Ferneley, Get Serious, Ghanaati, and Gio Ponti.

Just keep your eyes open, and be ready to employ the rules. The handicapping will be easy to find.. It is under WinningPonies, and believe you me they will be ready….

We are returning to Santa Anita. I loved my first trip last year, and the weather was great. I could not have asked for anything more, other than to conquer day two as I did on day one.

Beware of the weather. Do not play Euros that only love soft or yielding courses. Sometimes the turf can be sun baked. If the clouds open up, it can and will offer up a giving course. The funny thing is that European runners love this sod. Be sure to make sure they have run well on whatever type 0f surface is going on.  16 out of the last 25 have handled the sod of the day. Make sure to give bonus points for those who won their last time out..

Take a chance on a longshot. Turf runners can hold their ability for a long run. You should look for a runner that has run and won in the past 30 days. 12 out of 25 winners have followed this method.

Early speed fades… It will go the way of the dinosaur.. Far off pace runners who wheedle through the pack fare very well down the lane. I would not look for a gate to wire effort, and better focus on closers. Only 6 out of 25 speedsters have rolled….

Now is the time to brush up on breeding. For the babies it is really important. The grass runners always go back to this. You can throw out grass breeding for an 8-year-old weed runner. I think they have proven their point. It makes all the payoffs in the world to pay attention to the juvenile breeding.

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies should be an interesting race to handicap. Here are some thoughts to process before you begin to sort through the mounds of information.

Back in 1984, Fran’s Valentine, at 74-1, was taken down for an incident in the race. The eventual winner was Outstandingly, who paid a sweet $47.60. The show began with a heartbreaker for some, and a big time break for others.

Food for thought – the biggest come from behind victory came in 1988 for Open Mind, who closed like the wind after being 17 lengths behind the leader. The smallest payoff was in 1990 with Meadow’s Star $2.40 to win.

Europeans are a no-factor in this race historically. In the past 25 years, only 14 runners traveled with European preps. No European runner has overcome camera shyness and went to the winner’s circle.

The pace overall has favored those with a late kick. Speed is generally fashionable, but the gold goes to the stalkers and closers from the back 0f the pack. If memory serves you well from last year, Stardom Bound came flying the last quarter of a mile and circled the field like they were tied to the ground. She won by 1 1/2 lengths, and it was an impressive effort. She came off the pace, and the front runners couldn’t hold her off.

Well, there is a peek into the race. I would advise keeping abreast of all news and latest works to see who favors the course, and how the overall field is shaping up. Keep tuned in here, and as we draw closer, you will know all of the latest. I have access to all press releases and barn notes. So you’ll hear it here first, or at least quickly, to help you prepare for your day.

Here are some insights into riders others chose:

Kent Desormeaux – 4 votes

Johnny Murtagh – 1 vote (WTF) ????

Mike Smith – 1 vote (I found this a little low)

Garret Gomez – 2 votes (This should go up every year)

Johnny Velasquez – (A BIG surprise)

Rafael Bejarano – (He will be the future)

Frankie Dettori – (he only wants to ride the biggies, and he has magic on the big days)

O.K, how about – Alex Solis, Robby Albarado, Calvin Borel, Corey Nakatani, Alan Garcia, Julien Leparoux, Todd Kabel, Edgar Prado, Patrick Husbands, Rajiv Maragh??? There are so many to choose from, that there is no boot up on the other. I do like Desormeaux and Gomez more than the others. Kent D is a money rider, and seldom makes mistakes. Go-Go is rock solid. When he ships into another track, he brutalizes the day and takes home all of the money.

The thing to remember is that everyone is trying, even the trainers who are 30-1.. They all want to etch their name in history and cash in a big payday. Also, factor in the breeding angle, and there will be money to be made for years to come. So, don’t discount a big rider on a small circuit. Remember Stewie Elliot? How about the Cajun-man, Borail??

Don’t discount, and look for the value… Everybody is on their “A” game… For the record, I would like to project a few riders in the next three years who will be back in the limelight winning all of the money….

1. Rafael Bejarano – This kid is the future… PERIOD.

2. GO-GO has about another 5-8 years left in his mojo bag.

3. Leandro Goncalves – He looks good, and it will take time. He will be arriving at the right time.

4. Julien Leparoux – His abilities are endless. He is young, and is a smart rider in the saddle… He will go down with the big boys someday…

November 7, 2009 – the day will come… It is a G-1 event and they will travel 1 1/4 to test the contestants…Back to the Goodwood… Calvin Borel kept this guy way back in the pack… He made a move about the final 300 yards and came off the rail in fine order. He made up three lengths very quickly. It had the look of a trip over the track. A race is better than a handful of works. On this day, he received his test. Chip Woolley should be very happy with the quick acceleration and the way that his runner took to the track. Mine That Bird will have two or three breezes before the race. I think Woolley has him tight, and there is no reason to dull his blade.

Other runners that warrant a quick look are: Summer Bird, who has gotten better with every outing. Tim Ice should feel better with effort. He has his first work at Santa Anita, and seems to enjoy the Pro-Ride surface.  Ice feels he is peaking, and his horse has a good about him..

Also add in: Rail Trip, Macho Again, and Awesome Gem. These are ones to start the focus process, and be sure to begin your Euro watch. The Europeans have done well in Southern California. I find that crazy, and could not believe it in years gone by. I felt they would have conquered New York, or Churchill. But, they seem to love the sun in Cali…. So, don’t leave them out of your exotics..

Well, there is a start. I would start reading everything you can to get a handle on runners making the final plans. Now is the time, and the day cometh. So be ready.

The article was well written. It spoke of Richard Dutrow and how he was shaping up for the Breeders’ Cup.  I am a fan of D’Funnybone, winning the Belmont Futurity, and how Homeboykris took down the Hopeful Stakes.

When it comes to this point of the year, the thoughts cannot begin to be put into words. Ever since the inception of the Breeders’ Cup, trainers now have another big day to shoot for. It covers all surface angles, and has something for the babies on the rise, to the tried and true hard-balls.

Back to the comment section. Just leave it alone. There is no need to qualify a trainer. No need to put in there: “he is often suspended, or he still continues to bat 50% ITM.” Let well enough alone. When a solid article is written, there is no need to change the pace and fire out something to tear down another.

The game is tough enough. That is why we have a regulatory body watching the game. We don’t need to pile on. If Dutrow is going to stand in the corner for an infraction, maybe we should let the powers that be, be the judge of that. It does no possible good for the integrity of the game to preface a career with his or her accusations.

I have seen some of the day’s events, and I have to say that it breaks my heart that some of these runners will make it to the Breeders’ Cup.

Call me a racing purist, or just call me something ugly… I hate it..It takes away from the original way of doing things. Keep it based on money earned, and I think it will equal out. We will see the best horses run in the biggest races.

I will not take a stance and say that a runner was stiffed. Not because I am afraid, but because none of us know all of the details.

Today when you saw the G-1 Goodwood Stakes, Mine That Bird was off the pace by his usual dozen or so lengths. He was sent out to get a feel for the track, and see how he would acclimate to California. He has 4 wins from 6 starts on poly, and that is not bad.

He was last, and as always, for most of the race Calvin Borel kept him on the rail. At the top of the lane, Borel brought him out in the middle to far outside and did not give a vigorous hand ride. He asked a few times with the “encourager” down the lane. It was about the final 1/8th when he did accelerate like his mane was on fire. Borel did not get him involved, and kept him out of traffic. Fine and dandy, he was given a race and looks good for the future. Kudos to Bennie Woolley… The winner, Gitano Hernado, has NO business going to the B/C…  Fallon is an excellent rider, and he got lucky today holding off Colonel John.

I guess if I take a deep breath, the real runners will be there. But I still have a bad taste in my mouth by allowing one win to take you to the promised land. Racing should be progressive, and change should be embraced. But some old rules should always apply. They play nine regulation innings, four quarters in football, and there are five on five in basketball. Some things should never change… It lessens the field, and could exclude some that are legit…..

I know, it is our loss. Racing’s loss.. History’s loss… Hell, I don’t know of any winners. When you keep Rachel Alexandra out of the Breeders’ Cup, you are holding back one of the bright stars of the game.

If you make the move and decide not to run her on the “plastic” as Jess Jackson puts it, you will draw many people to scratch their heads about this move.

She will reappear at Belmont this Saturday in the Mother Goose. That is the good news. Jackson, who in all accounts is a man of the game, wants to run her against the males possibly in the Haskell and the Travers later this summer. But this weekend will be dedicated to raising awareness for Susan G. Komen for breast cancer, by giving away 10,000 bracelets.

As a fan, I would love to see her hook up on B/C Day and do battle. She is truly a sight to behold, and we are keeping her from the public. The Jacksons regret running Curlin on the synthetic. But, maybe she will take differently to the surface.  After all, she is 1 for 1 on synthetic surfaces (she won a race at Keeneland last year).  Just give it a chance. Try her out for a few works, and we will be satisfied.

I would love to see Rachel and Zenyatta put on the gloves and do battle.  This would be a race to be remembered. I sure hope they hook up, and do battle. If not on B/C Day, then on a national stage. Racing needs our grand gals, and to keep them apart will only keep us guessing.

I sure hope he reconsiders. Santa Anita is a fine oval. Plenty of runners have made the transition. Just think it over, and don’t wait too long.. The race will be here before you know it.

The amount that Oak Tree could owe the Breeders’ Cup may be in the millions of dollars, according to sources that asked not to be named.

Sherwood Chillingworth, executive vice president of Oak Tree, would not comment on the specifics of the negotiations.

“We are still working on the numbers with the Breeders’ Cup,” Chillingworth said on December 16, “so it is too early to comment with any certainty.”

Oak Tree is a not-for-profit, non-dividend-paying group of California horse owners and breeders who have been operating a fall meet at Santa Anita, under a lease arrangement, since 1969. The 2008 Breeders’ Cup, run over two days in October, was the fourth time Oak Tree has staged the multi-million-dollar event since its inception in 1984.

Jack Robbins, president of Oak Tree, said that the association showed a profit of about $500,000 from the 2003 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. Oak Tree’s profits are spent on racing-related organizations, projects and charities.

A source said that Oak Tree’s guarantee to the Breeders’ Cup for 2008 was about $5 million. Apparently revenues for the two days fell far short of that, perhaps by as much as $3 million. The Breeders’ Cup’s projected revenues for 2009 will be down about $10 million compared to 2008, said Greg Avioli, president of the Breeders’ Cup . Included in the estimated downturn is a $3 million drop in revenues for the 2009 Breeders’ Cup, which also will be held at Santa Anita under the aegis of Oak Tree. The 2008 Breeders’ Cup was the first to be run over a synthetic surface instead of dirt, and 2008-09 will mark the first time that the Breeders’ Cup has been run at the same track in consecutive years.

Like Chillingworth, Robbins declined to comment in detail about the losses incurred at the 2008 Breeders’ Cup. Avioli referred questions about the shortfall to Peter Land, his marketing chief.

“Our contractual relationship with Oak Tree is confidential, so we won’t be commenting,” Land said.

Recently, citing financial considerations, the Breeders’ Cup announced that it was discontinuing the supplementary stakes program, which called for the Breeders’ Cup to pump about $5 million a year in purse money into 100 races at 40 racetracks. A few days later, the Breeders’ Cup, under pressure from breeders, recanted and said that the 2009 supplementary program would still be in place.

The 2008 Breeders’ Cup, only the second to be run over two days, offered a record 14 races worth $25.5 million. Attendance at Santa Anita totaled 82,588, and overall betting surpassed $130 million. Only one other Breeders’ Cup has gone over $130 million in betting, at Churchill Downs in 2006, but that was an eight-race, one-day event, which presumably cost less to stage. Purses at Churchill were approximately $6 million less than what they were this year. Typically, most of the handle that isn’t returned to bettors is shared by the host track, the state, horsemen and off-track betting sites and hubs. In California, tracks receive about half as much from off-track bets as they do from bets placed on-track.

The Breeders’ Cup has conceded that ticket pricing and policies for the 2008 event were a mistake. At one point, the Breeders’ Cup turned over its allotment of tickets to Oak Tree because they were not able to sell them. The cheapest reserved seat in the grandstand sold for $200, which was for both days. It cost $600 to sit in four sections of the grandstand. It is commonplace for racing executives to say that their prices for top races — the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup — are comparable to championship events in other sports, but their thinking is misguided, because in racing, unlike team sports, many fans incur betting losses after they pay to get in.

“. . . When we finalized our ticket plans and pricing in March, the economy was much stronger,” Land wrote in The Blood-Horse magazine after the Breeders’ Cup. “That being said, in retrospect, I wish we had provided more lower-priced options for fans and for horsemen, and we also should have allowed more people to choose to come on one day rather than requiring the two-day purchase.”

It is likely that the ticketing strategy will be different at Santa Anita in 2009. Early on for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup, Chillingworth battled with Breeders’ Cup officials over pricing, including the general-admission cost that entitled fans to walk-around privileges at the track. Now both the Breeders’ Cup and Oak Tree have millions of reasons to do better by the fans.