I agree with Wrongly on the merits of Christine Lee\'s being preferable to those of Yard House, especially for a first time track visitor.  At Yard House, unless seated outdoors, you won\'t even feel like you are at a track.  Nowhere to bet inside Yard House. And the TVs inside are more likely to be tuned to college basketball than Gulfstream racing (!)

One thing I like about Creative Cause is that the one \"bad\" or \"off\" race he has showing is the one race where you could question how much they were really gunning for a win that day. (SA Derby)

Thunderstorm with heavy winds approaching CD.  Infield patrons being asked to take cover.  Storm expected to pass through at 5pm.  Racing will be delayed until storm passes.

http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/7851216/more-feeling

Apologies. Here is a better link.  One that applies to horses and not humans(!)

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-dept/equine-large-animal-dept/update-on-eswt-treatment.aspx

http://www.eswt.com/

Michael D.: http://www.simo-central.com/CHRBPublicReport.jsp

According to the CHRB site, I\'ll Have Another went on the Vet\'s List on 4/20 for 10 days due to \"Vet treatment\".  I confess to not knowing what this means or what the ramifications may be.

I have to say it bothers me that Barbaro made a solid move forward in the 2006 Florida Derby, and Union Rags apparently did not.  I believe that Matz was preparing Union Rags with such a move in mind, but there was no \"there\" there. Granted, no two horses trained by the same trainer are alike.  But in his mind\'s eye, I have to think Matz views Union Rags as much closer to Barbaro as a Derby prospect than, say, Visionaire.

Though not pertinent to the performance figures, isn\'t Uncle Mo\'s quest somewhat similar to that of Conquistador Cielo--only with an extra three weeks of rest thrown in?

Jim,

This and $2 will get you a ride on the subway.  But Borel was flown back and forth on a KEE race day to work Rattlesnake Bridge in NY.  Their connections think they are live.  (Of course, I\'m sure the other 11 think the same.)

Might one presume at this point that Ruler on Ice benefits significantly from a wet surface? If so, that could cast aspersions on the utility of that last number.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20111025/SPORTS08/310250045/Tizway-out-Breeders-Cup?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

No BC for Awesome Gem.  

http://www.drf.com/news/awesome-gem-miss-breeders-cup

It\'s never too early to discuss stuff like this!

While I agree that Uncle Mo is a huge question mark at the distance, I would rate HDG at least a small question mark at the same.  I say that not having her sheet (and the DelCap figure) fresh in my mind. But I am certain that HDG\'s trainer and owner would both be more confident if the BC Classic were run at 1 1/8 as opposed to 1 1/4. Also  gnawing at me just a little is HDG\'s less-than-stellar run in last year\'s Ladies Classic at CD.  Though that last bit of negativism could probably be directed at Flat Out as well.  But he wouldn\'t appear to have distance questions as part of the package.  

THAS may prove to be a trickier read.  I\'d almost insist on him being able to bounce and still win before I\'d play him on top.  And I strongly doubt that will be the case given some of the other fast ones in here.  I thought the rail on PA Derby day was about as golden as a rail can get.  THAS, as I recall, was in the two-path throughout, which could be construed as a plus.  But he was also close to the pace on a day when the only ones making up meaningful late ground were those few who could make their move up the fence. All things considered, I think his last race was probably at least a little bias-aided.  

In any event, if a review of the sheets led me to think the BC Classic was a tossup between HDG and Flat Out, I know who I\'d be betting to win.