My Mind is Going Horse (Series 1, Episode 1, Take 1)

This recent article on how to improve the Triple Crown made the hamster wheel in the ol' noggin start spinning.

The article is not worth reading. It merely scratches the surface by only discussing the Triple Crown. Its basis is wrong in believing the key to improving horse racing is by focusing on the Triple Crown, and those improvements can be accomplished through minor tweaks like spreading out races, larger purses and using the same network. All fine and dandy, but it doesn't get to the belly of the beast.

I have decided to dedicate a chunk of my life to answering the question of how to garner more interest in horse racing. Today marks the first edition of an ongoing mind warp. Let it begin…

One of the main appeals of sports is the rivalries. We enjoy the added competition, the hate for the opposing team or player. For instance, the only time I watch a regular season hockey game is if the Red Wings are playing the Avalanche.

I hate the Avalanche and particularly Claude Lemieux because of the rivalry started in 1996.

Horse racing needs rivalries. Luckily it embeds three prime opportunities to develop and exploit rivalries: horses, owners and trainers.

Today I will take a first look at horse vs. horse. It is an easy and quick way to drive interest. Street Sense vs. Hard Spun this year, Affirmed vs. Alydar, War Admiral vs. Seabiscuit. There are plenty of examples where broadcasters have drummed up rivalries between horses. This is most commonly seen after the Kentucky Derby.

Once the derby is completed, the horse racing media trumpets the Preakness as a rivalry between the first and second place finishers, in doing so, sacrificing the other contenders. Should the two horses not finish one-two in the Preakness, the rivalry is dropped and no other three-year old rivalry for the year is established. The industry places the entire season and crop in one race.

In order to build a true rivalry, teams, players or animals need to compete against each other. Sadly, in horse racing, the top-level long-faced-fellows typically only race against each other in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

Larger purses and longer rest periods may help attract top horses to run the three legs of the Triple Crown, but the horse racing season should not be sold short. The interested parties need to coordinate to develop rivalries throughout the season. The Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes and horse trainers and owners would all mutually benefit from a well developed and promoted rivalry.

Fans want to pick sides. They want to have their horse. They want to stick it in the face of their buddy’s horse. But the current system does not allow the rivalry to properly surface and allow the competition to come to a head.

More on this later…

-posted C.R. Dunbar

Todd Pletcher is going to poke my eye out

While Stuart Scott determines whether it is cooler to have baby mama drama or commercials with your pet chihuahua, we are thick into the season of a re-budding sport: horse racing.

Granted, the Triple Crown is by far the most exciting part of the season and deserves attention, but it is only the start of the season not the end.

Tomorrow morning, the Lady Dunbar and I will be catching the Virginia Derby, the second leg of the $5 million "Grand Slam of Grass." This will be the fifth time this year I convince myself that I understand the sport but go home angry at life and eating bologna for a week.

The reason for this season's malaise, self doubt and flashes of what can be described as ‘roid rage is no other than Todd Pletcher. He has been awarded three consecutive Trainer of the Year awards, but has awarded me with an empty wallet and a stress-induced twitchy eye that he takes pleasure in poking.

Any Given Saturday, Sam P. and King of the Roxy burned me in the stakes races before the Kentucky Derby. For the Kentucky Derby, I bet heavily on Scat Daddy only to have Pletcher put a thumb in my eye with a 18th place finish. Clearly, I'm a masochist at this point and pick Circular Quay for the Preakness. Pletcher takes the opportunity to throw a jab to the eye to loosen it up a bit with another loss.

For the Belmont, I am set on not betting on another Pletcher horse. He has one in the race, Rags to Riches, a filly. A filly hasn't won the Belmont since 1905. Of course, you know what happens. Rags to Riches gives Pletcher his first ever Triple Crown race win and ruins my trifecta.

This brings me back to the Virginia Derby. Pletcher has entered Circular Quay, who has never raced on turf. I have made the decision to stay away, even though the horse's class and speed levels are superior to every other horse.

I am going with a slight underdog with Inca King, who may be able to shake loose from the competition and have enough gas at the end to stave off the competition. However, I'm bringing my James Worthy-esque sports goggles in case Pletcher is there to give me the ultimate Three Stooges inspired eye-gouge.

-posted by C.R. Dunbar