Racing's such a great game because it is so humbling! Seldom have I ever felt stronger about a race (on paper) and been more wrong about almost everything!

The only saving grace (if there is one) is that I actually didn't bet the race because I was alive in the glorious Magna Pick Five. The only problem is the horse I was alive with, and very felt confidently about, St. Averil, disappeared after about a quarter mile. Maybe he really did run as big a number as I thought he did in his previous race, and it knocked him into oblivion -- he even looked flat in the post parade. The real puzzler was how bad Wimbledon ran -- he was fried by the far turn, and I'm not sure he's really any good.

For you Rock Hard Ten fans, I'll say he's the real deal now. Too bad he might not make it into the Derby on earnings, but if he misses the derby it might be a blessing in disguise in terms of all the great races later on in the year.

What to make of Castledale? So Jeff Mullins said afterwards, his horse was clearly and always better on dirt (I missed that for sure, and I don't miss many Mullins' winners, believe me). I wish I looked a bit closer at his pattern (on t-graphs anyway) because it wasn't that bad -- he's a durable little horse for sure and apparently he's got some heart!

I wonder what his odds will be in the derby? Knowing how Mullins horses usually pair up -- if the number was fast enough in the Santa Anita Derby, he might be a legit threat on May 1st. So how fast was the race???

The best thing about all this confusion and wide open nature of the derby is we'll get some serious value in the derby -- can you all imagine what the super will pay? So, let's see how much does it cost to wheel a horse in the superfecta in a 20 horse field?
Oh, right, forgot I have to pick the winner first before I can wheel him.

Did anyone cash in that race? Who the hell used Castledale in the pick 5? At least a few people right? I thought there'd be a carry-over for sure. Any thoughts???