WE are at Memorial Day  Weekend which is always designated — in my mind — by the running of the Metropolitan Mile.   I have so many amazing memories of this great race, but the one that really stands out was the Conquistador Cielo running.  CC used the Metropolitan Mile as a prep for the Belmont, which he eventually won by as far as you can throw a little green apple!  That being said, he faced the best older horses with light weight, and ran everyone off their feet.  After that race, someone asked the great trainer, Woody Stephen’s about the other horses who were going to put some “pressure” on CC.  Woody’s priceless reply, “They’ll use his ass as a looking glass!”

And that’s exactly how it played out…

Certainly,  the Power Page’s performed beautifully on Thursday.  With several easy to make winners and exactas — especially at Santa Anita on Thursday…

Now, let’s talk a little Triple Crown!  Everywhere I go, people are tapping me on the shoulder to ask, ” Is American Pharoah going to win the Triple Crown!”  This even happened while at my Dentist.    So I started to think of some of the most magnificent horses that I have seen since I started following racing in 1977.  Since then, I have seen 2 (or 3 if you include Alydar) succeed, Seattle Slew and Affirmed /Alydar  and 14 fail.  Some of those who failed included Spectacular Bid, Alysheba, Smarty Jones, Funny Cide and several others  who won the Preakness in a fashion that declared them winners of the Belmont.  Yet, they were defeated anyway!  Last year we saw California Chrome come into the Belmont, after absolutely dominating the KD and Preakness – but the new shooters were too sharp and CC like the other 13 that have taken their shot, was a little too tired to fire his best…

The Belmont beats down very – very – very good horses, and it holds up to the light, truely great horses….  This should be fun, to to  You Tube and watch the 1978 Marlboro Cup…