BitPlayer,

I also found the paragraph about the anticipated smaller crowd for the FLA Derby to be confounding. Why would anyone want to downplay a race that used to carry so much importance. Unfortunately for MAGNA and their astute team, putting the race 5 weeks before the derby, the race is now on the last weekend of Spring Training and the Snow Birds have already loaded up the cars to head north before Easter. With the tourists going north, the crowds getting smaller, the race being carried by HRTV network all winter (no longer replays on Sunshine Network reducing viewership and overall onterest in the meet We all don't have DISH NETWORK) and also competing with March MAdness Final Four every year, you'd have to say the Magna team is a bunch of marketing idiots. The FL Derby will continue to loose its status and prestige on the racing calendar as long as they keep running it a week before the Wood/SA Derby/Ill Derby and two weeks before the BlueGrass/Ark Derby. They have attracted a nice field of a couple of horses and the rest is filler. Probably why it attracted 11 horses. Wouldn't be suprised if we see another Jim Beam..er Lanes End type result with the favorite coming from Post 10 in what has been a very bad post for 9F race at that fabulous track design by MAGNA.

I was prepared to watch the replays via Computer. At least I can watch it now.

One last point, if their ever was a sport to watch in High Def it would be Horse Racing. ...............Now Back to Handicapping vs Op Ed.

NC Tony



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2006 11:22PM by NoCarolinaTony.