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*sneaks away from coursework* OH HEY!

Things are starting to crawl back to normalcy. However, the new normal involves a lot more paper writing than I originally anticipated (even in my easy class where all we basically do is watch movies) and don’t even get me started on the new bane of my existence, precalculus. It will all be worth it, it will all be worth it, it will all be worth it…

The Super Derby today looks like a good value race with a lot of possibilities… definitely a “box ‘em and hope for the best” kind of race. Out in the shop today, I am proud to unveil a minimalistic tribute to near-Triple Crown champ, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, and Super Derby winner Sunday Silence!

You can order the Sunday Silence Stripe starting today with all proceeds benefiting New Vocations, as usual! If you’re broke, you can probably win one in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Handicapping Challenge in November.

In the meantime, I have SO many horses to write about (thank you, retirement spree, NOT) and then there’s catching up on old work and work that’s pouring in. And then there’s homework I will be slaving away all day tomorrow on…

High hoof!

Dawna

Being round 9 of 12 for the Derby Handicap Contest, you might want to get your entry in real quick if you haven’t already. Sorry I’d have given you guys more time/a quicker response, but my body apparently wanted to sleep in real bad. And now it wants McDonald’s.

Anyway, you all have until 4:45pm EST to get those entries in… no scratches thus far today… and don’t forget about the awesome Derby Hopeful tee! I’ve sold *checks* 4 of these suckers already so I’m well on my way to the fundraising goal for New Vocations. The winner of the Derby Handicap Contest gets one gratis, and I intend on wearing one when I shuttle out to the Belmont Stakes.

In the process of designing a Derby-themed shirt to benefit charity, and I’m trying to decide between the two: the names of CURRENT 2012 Kentucky Derby hopefuls (i.e. Liasion, Sabercat, Union Rags) or some horses who have already won the Derby (i.e. Secretariat, Mine That Bird, Smarty Jones)? The current hopefuls would be a cool way to show your support heading into this year’s Triple Crown, but I wonder if people would just rather have the names of those who have won it on their back.

What do you think? Input would be greatly appreciated!

Before I get into this, allow me to say I am a big fan of giving to worthy charitable causes. I’ve been a generous soul since childhood— I remember giving my only dollar to the Salvation Army bellringers one cold winter night when I was 6 or 7— but reading a BloodHorse article on Nick Zito’s statement on sharing the big potential payoff should Dialed In return to winning form on Saturday made me blink twice:

“A whole bunch of them” will benefit, the trainer vowed. “It will be all the ones that you guys know like the (Permanantly) Disabled Jockeys’ Fund. That’s all on the record. Myself and my owner are both on board about that. He ain’t saying, ‘Shut up, I need the money,’ so he’s with me. I know I’ll do my part. I’ve got seven preachers I’ve got to give money to and then I have a long line of creditors.

Disabled Jockeys’ Fund, yes. Seven preachers, no. I didn’t realize praying to God for success could be compensated. I sat back and mulled this over a bit, and I don’t think I would have had such a big issue with it if Zito said “the Church” would receive funds. Hey, everyone’s hurting these days, and I can’t imagine congregation donations have maintained their girth in this economy. But to seven preachers in particular? That almost seems hypocritical since horse racing is heavily based off gambling, which I thought was a sin. 

I’m glad Zito and Robert LaPenta intend to share their riches in the event the son of Mineshaft nails the biggest payoff in racing history. I just wish the distribution didn’t seem so seedy.

P.S. I also like how BloodHorse misspelled “permanently” in their article.