Saturday Sleet

Heavy rain and on the mild side one day - then slick sleet and some snow on the ground this morning.
At least there is lots of cool stuff going on this weekend in racing and Monday is a U.S. holiday (Martin Luther King day) so everyone is racing. They can keep the weekday cards at Gulfstream etc. but the weekends sure brighten up the winter.
Sam-Son Farms' HATPIN, who ran that miraculous race on Nov. 26 off a one-year layoff (2nd beaten 1/2 a length in the Bessarabian to eventual champion mare Financingavailable), is in the Leggio at Fair Grounds today and she's working fast. By the red-hot Smart Strike.

Update - Malcolm Pierce has won 8 races at Fair Grounds - Idle Rumour won yesterday on the turf for Pink Oak Stud.

There sure are lots of opinions, and as I can see, complaints/concerns about the new Breeders' Cup races. Steven Crist makes some good points in today's Daily Racing Form.
Hey, it's like Woodbine's Polytrack...it's far from perfect and needs lots of tinkering, but it can help the game.

BROTHER AND SIS - In the 6th at Gulfstream today, ROCK PULPIT makes his debut for trainer Nick Zito. His big sister, NOTTAWASAGA, races in the next event on the grass for Canada's Chiefswood Stable.

Fellow T'bred BLOGGER John (NOT TO THE SWIFT) has launched the official BIRDBIRDISTHEWORD Blog site and there is a little interview with the Kentucky Derby contender's owner Ray Cottrell. If you like the BIRD, then check out Birdbirdblog.blogspot.com (link listed on the right)

Reading about BARBARO everyday...sure hope he makes it.