We understand. We know you will be glued to either HRTV or TGV and will be reading every word in the Daily Racing Form, Thoroughbred Times and Case the Race (of course) from now until Derby Day. However, with the Kentucky Derby just around the corner, we understand that there are fans that will be left wanting even more. That’s why we are publishing our list of the Top 10 Independent Blogs for the Kentucky Derby. 

 

Our focus on independent bloggers is designed to expose you to additional sources that you might not have discovered on your own. Here are our selections.

 

There are several reasons we selected Mary Forney’s Blog for our number 1 position. The site is rich with original video clips, photos, on-site commentary and unique details. We also liked the fact that the author tends to post frequently, increasing the likelihood that you will find something new to satisfy your need for information as the Derby unfolds. One other thing that stood out about this blog was the intimate sensibility it captures. You can almost feel the Southern California sunshine on your back as you read it.   By including video clips captured from moments when it seems like no one else was looking and by focusing on the day-to-day activities that carry the horses through to race days, the author creates a bridge between the horses and the races that is unique and captivating. Whereas much horse racing news coverage reads like an action adventure story, Mary Forney’s Blog delivers the pacing and character development of a good drama. 

 

The tag phrase for our number 2 independent blog (“Dreadful Blogging since ‘04”) sets the tone for this spirited blog written an author with a dry sense of humor. The blog includes videos, thoughtful opinions, analysis and charts. The coverage also has a broad geographical scope. Based on the dedication evident in Handride, we have the impression that the author seems to take his subject matter, but not himself, quite seriously. 

 

As with Handride, the author of our number 3 blog, Equispace, raises important questions, invites you into a discussion and makes you think. The blog includes great photos, opinions, commentary, analysis and polls. The Kentucky Derby coverage is plentiful. The text entries on this blog tend to be longer than most, often encapsulating a complete thought from start to finish. The reader also benefits from links to other entries within the blog and to outside sources related to the topic at hand.

 

Our number 4 blog, The Race Is Not Always To The Swift, has a distinctive, edgy voice. The blog description reads, “ a horse racing blog written by a slightly disoriented, overly enthusiastic fan whose mantra is alternative content.” The site contains original photos and fun, otherwise-unreported details such as the discovery of the name “Fergalicious” embroidered on the back of jockey Fergal Lynch’s pants. Because of the offbeat nature of this blog and occasional focus on things conspiratorial, this is a blog that people will either love or will hate, depending on how closely their own sensibilities align with the author’s.

 

Horseplayers will rejoice over our # 5 blog pick, Power Cap. For those who are new to the game or are just learning, there isn’t really a red rope deterring your entrance, it just feels that way. This site speaks the language of handicapper shorthand. It also sometimes seems like the author uses this space to vent about the things he really needs to get off his chest about horse racing. That said, the opinions do tend to be well informed. The author also keeps his finger on the pulse of current events. For horseplayers, the site can give you the feel of retreating to the locker room with a teammate during the middle of a long game.

 

If you are looking for a solid blog with consistent Derby coverage, our number 6 blog, Superfectablog, is a great choice. The clear, accessible commentary and photos were pluses.

 

Brooklyn Backstretch, our 7^th choice, is a New York-oriented blog written by a writer with a knack for story telling.

 

We ranked the blog, Horse Racing Handicapping, as number 8 in our list. This blog, with a handicapping orientation delivers bullet-like comments on the races.

 

For someone looking for Kentucky Derby commentary, our 9^th blog pick may be a bit inconsistent. However, what Green But Game lacks in rigor, it makes up for through the author’s enthusiasm. If what you like about handicapping is the fact that is fun and you are looking for someone who shares the same spirit, this is a great site.

 

Our number 10 pick, Winning Ponies, is the place to go for company. No other blog we reviewed delivered as many original entries in the same time period. When you go to the site, there is good chance that the blogger has just been there, or will be there again soon.

 

To find our Top 10 Independent Blogs for the Kentucky Derby, we began with a list of 50 independent blogs. We included only blogs that lacked direct affiliation with a larger non-blog media outlet. We examined each site and counted the number of entries for the period between March 15, 2009 and April 14, 2009. From that list, we eliminated any blogs with fewer than 15 entries from consideration. We looked through each of the remaining sites to identify blogs we though had the most interesting, pertinent, and original content. Our goal was to find blogs that would do the best job of delivering something supplementary to readers in search of an additional Derby fix.

Rank	Name	URL	Entries *
1	Mary Forney's Blog	http://maryforney.blogspot.com/	36
2	Handride	http://handride.blogspot.com/	30
3	Equispace	http://equispace.blogspot.com/	20
4	The Race is Not to the Swift	http://theraceisnottotheswift.blogspot.com/	22
5	Powercap	http://gregcalabrese.blogspot.com/	25
6	Superfecta Blog	http://superfectablog.blogspot.com/	16
7	Brooklyn Backstrech	http://www.brooklynbackstretch.com/	32
8	Horse Racing Handicapping	http://horseracingfreepicks.blogspot.com/	15
9	Green But Game	http://www.greenbutgame.org/	16
10	Winning Ponies	http://blog.winningponies.com/	48

  * Number of blog entries between 3/15 and 4/14.
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This article was produced by the case the race staff. If you have questions about this article, would like to have your blog considered in the future, or would be interested in writing for Case the Race, please use our contact form to reach our editor. http://www.casetherace.com/contact/index.html