That My Friends is Why It's Called Horse RACING

Back in 1973, the previous year's 2yo Champion Male and the defending Horse of the Year Secretariat went into the Wood Memorial with the confidence that he would win. However, somebody forgot to tell his stablemate Angle Light and rival Sham who went on to finish 1-2 in the Wood that year.

Flash foward to 2011, the previous year's 2yo Champion Male Uncle Mo went into the Wood with the confidnece that he would win. However, somebody forget to tell Toby's Corner and Arthur's Tale who went 1-2 in the Wood this year.

That's right Secretariat and Uncle Mo both finished third in the Wood. Now of course Big Red went on to win the Derby, Preakness and Belmont thus getting the Triple Crown earning him 3yo Champion Male honors as well as defending his Horse of the Year title. As for Uncle Mo, honestly I don't even think he's going to be the Derby winner, let alone the Triple Crown. He just doesn't seem to be a horse who wants to go mile and eighth let alone a mile and a quarter.

With that being said, Mo is far from the only horse to lose a race he should have won. It happens all the time when favorites lose... just not the way he lost. There is a reason why this is called horse racing and not horse walking.

As for the winner, Graham Motion is the one who is loaded now and not Todd Pletcher. Of course he won't be as loaded if Animal Kingdom skips the Derby. Kinda funny that the Englishman takes Team Valor horses away from the Texan and now the Wood. Toby is by Bellamy Road who I was not a fan of when he was running. But it helped that he was owned by George Stinebrenner who I dispised since he owned the Yankees and I'm a Phillie fan.

When I was in high school, my Economics teacher always say TINSTFL which stands for There Is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch. For today, I think the TINSTFR: There Is No Such Thing as a Free Race.

A very different looking Derby list when it comes out on Weds.

Huge Weekend upcoming

Final major preps for the Breeder's Cup begin this Saturday. At Philadelphia Park, Careless Jewel will face the DP based Bon Jovi Girl (again) and Just Jenda in the Cotillion Stakes. Meanwhile at Belmont 5 G1's: Vosburgh, Flower Bowl, Beldame, Turf Classic and Jockey Club Gold Cup make up "Super Saturday", and Sunday is just as good with the Pilgrim, Miss Grillo and Kelso (who could feature another filly taking on the boys, but we'll see if she's entered), also Sunday is Europe's big day with the Arc.

Right now, it looks like that the ground at Longchamp is good to firm, this is bad news for US fans (like myself) who want to see Sea the Stars in the Breeder's Cup this year. However, good news for the Euros as he would be running in the Arc. Among the contendors, Ballydolye's Fame and Glory, last year's BC Turf champ Conduit, Dar Re Mi (who was DQ'ed from her upset win over Stacelita. A little bit of Pop Culture triva: She's owned by Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber (Yes THAT Andrew Lloyd-Webber of Evita, Phantom of the Opera ect. fame.), and undefeated filly Stacelita.

As for this past weekend's races, it was upset city. Two former claimers won the Kentucky Cup Classic and Maryland Million Classic respectivly, also up at Woodbine Milwaukee Appeal and Hooh Why went down. Also Indian Blessing won what is expected to be her second to last start in her career, nipping Sara Louise at the wire in the Gallant Bloom. The next two weeks in the US and Europe will be very exciting!

Finally, I started a new project (yes another one), this time it focuses on the old time horses, for more information please visit Historic Thoroughbreds.

Freisan Fire video and Old Fashioned upset

Freisan Fire punches his ticket to Churchill Downs with win in the LA Derby. His stablemate Old Fashioned is upset by Monarchos colt Win Willy in the Rebel. More tomarrow in Weekend Recap