it's derby day

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And Zito has the favorite....

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I am actually glad neither Zito nor Baffert won it. They're never not in the Triple Crown races anymore. They never don't get the very best horseflesh, and I think it ceases to be a matter of knowing how to bring along a racehorse, so short are their careers at this age. All thoroughbreds' official birthdays are 1 January, even if they were born on 31 December. Some of those horses—the winner, Animal Kingdom—are actually just barely three, some not EVEN three, and a horse's legs aren't fully developed until they are SIX. Once again, the horses' pedigrees are full of Native Dancer blood, which means: big tall fast—barrel-bodied pencil-legged—right away. It also means hurt right away.

Archarcharch, who broke from Post 1, was pulled up after the finish line. The colt was taken, via equine ambulance, back to his stall, where he underwent a radiographic examination.

The colt was diagnosed with a lateral condylar fracture (one occurring on the outer half of the bone) and will undergo surgery, however the injury is not believed to be life-threatening.

One little wobble on his second stride out the gate, sound through the race and only pulled up lame after it was run. Good thing. It's touch and go if I can stand to watch a race live these days. I prefer to find out if there were any injuries first and then watch the replay. I can't endure another Eight Belles....

You can ask anyone I know. I have always said it should be illegal to start a horse until it is six. Dangerous enough that way, but it just wouldn't generate enough money. It would cut three years off stud fees, for one, and it would take a long time to get a return on your investment. There are too many investment syndicates in the running these days too. This is really pissing me off.

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