I don't have much to say in regards to the Belmont Stakes that hasn't already been thrown out there on the heels of the race by the masses. My opinion is that Calvin Borel did not ride an "A" race as he moved too early and compromised Mine That Birds chance to win the marathon event. I am not blaming him as the gelding seemed a bit too wound up for the most part pulling pretty hard and unwilling to cooperate as he did in the other two legs of the Triple Crown. Furthermore, I'm not sure he beats Summer Bird even with the right execution as the fresh legs once again took over in this grueling third leg.

Hey, this is why we haven’t had a Triple Crown winner in decades and inspires my search all the more as we speak. I will be posting articles and updates as to horses that seem to have the earmarks of next years stars from all over the country. By the way, feel free to comment on D. Wayne Lukas suggestion of spacing the three races out next year and ending the Triple Crown around the 4th of July.

I am not in favor of the idea as I don’t want an asterisk by any future Triple Crown winners myself. But, I have heard excellent feedback on both sides from a business and also better for the 3 year olds in general as future race horse standpoints. So please chime in with any opinions that offer any insight. I really enjoyed being under the Twin Spires Derby week to report first hand morning observations for Case The Race and promise ya’all more of the same for next year hopefully with the winning exacta!!!!! Meanwhile, in So. Cal we have a neat little race shaping up at Hollywood Park for the 3 year olds which will be run here in the next few weeks. The Swaps has many live horses that we all know now like Pioneerof The Nile and Papa Clem ready as well as some others who I have seen train locally that might be ready to spring an upset. For example, Ron McAnally has Massone on tilt and ready to fire right now and he is well off the radar screen thus insuring a big price on the tote board.

In closing, Rachel Alexandra is on course off the Preakness effort for her next start and I am awaiting that effort as I really think she is going to continue to shine as my press release from Darren Rogers at Churchill looked like a total thumbs up after Mondays work. Stay tuned and I will talk to ya'all soon Toby Turrell