The Year’s Best Rivalry
It’s probable that most sports fans will complete their 2009 without having paid attention to the best rivalry of the season. It’s over, although it’s not settled. It was intense, but neither competitor faced one another. Many of the events were designed for males yet dominated by two girls.
I’m referring to Horse of the Year candidates, Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra.
Phone Jazz: The Horse You Want To Party With
At Belmont Park’s fifth race on Saturday, a filly named Phone Jazz got tired of dancing for the Man so she bucked off her jockey and shimmied out of the starting gate free as the wind blows. The 8-1 pre-race long shot was never technically disqualified, but was considered a last place also-ran unable to complete the race under racing’s rules.
All the Pretty Horses: The 135th Kentucky Oaks
It should have been clear that something special was going to happen during the 135th Kentucky Derby weekend the minute Scott Padgett, a Kentucky University alum and member of the NBA from 1999-2007, stepped in front of me and shot me a goofy smile (of course it was awkward. Have you seen Padgett? No other smile had a chance of flyin’ off that mug). I should have known it, but I didn’t.
Colt Bolts
City On Line, a 4-year-old colt running at Belmont Park last week, broke off line from his lead pony before the fifth race on May 20 and went streaking down the tunnel to an enclosure field.
Fightin’ Fillies
